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Orlando City

Orlando City at Toronto FC: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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3 years ago

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Orlando City returns from Canada with a point after a tough 1-1 draw with Toronto FC. Despite the week of rest, the Lions struggled to get much going but managed to hang in there and grind out a result to avoid a third straight loss. While it’s disappointing that Orlando hasn’t won a game this July, the team deserves some credit for battling back after falling behind late in the match.

Let’s dive right into how each of your favorite Lions rated in this road match.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6.5 — It was nice to have Gallese back between the sticks. The Peruvian goalkeeper looked as calm as ever in his return after the Copa America, making two saves. On Toronto’s goal, Gallese had a good read on where Jozy Altidore was going to place his header but couldn’t react in time to stop the powerful header from point-blank range. He was accurate on 90% of his passes, with two of his three long balls finding their mark.

D, Joao Moutinho, 6 — Maybe the best news from Moutinho’s performance is that he played all 90 minutes. Given his injury history and Oscar Pareja’s efforts to ease Moutinho back into the swing of things, it was a great sign to see him go the distance on the road. He also turned in a great performance, leading the team with 86 touches and 74 passes. Of those, 82% were successful, which is pretty good considering the distance of some of his attempts. He was left out to dry on Toronto’s goal and was unable to best Altidore in an aerial duel in front of goal. Defensively, Moutinho just had an interception. On offense, he had no shots or crosses.

D, Robin Jansson, 6 — Jansson was caught in a bad position by a great cross from Justin Morrow that went right over his head for Altidore to head it home, but could have done more to help Moutinho with the big striker on that play. As one of the only Lions on the field capable of beating Altidore in the air, Jansson needed to be a bit more aware of the danger. The Beefy Swede responded perfectly just a minute later though, sending a long ball deep that Toronto defender Auro Jr. couldn’t cleanly deal with. The ball was dangerous enough with Benji Michel hustling after it that Toronto goalkeeper Alex Bono committed a penalty trying to snuff it out. Defensively, Jansson made two interceptions and won two of his three defensive aerial duels. He ended the game with 47 touches and completed 86% of his 43 passing attempts.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6 — With Antonio Carlos still out, Schlegel stepped in as center back and made two clearances and a tackle. Although he only had 44 touches and 38 passes, he was successful on 89% of those passing attempts, including a key pass as Orlando tried to create opportunities with long balls downfield. He didn’t have any shots or make much of an impact on set pieces. While he was defensively sound, he did pick up a yellow card and committed a team-high five fouls, including two in dangerous areas for the opposition.

D, Kyle Smith, 6.5 (MotM) — Playing at right back, Smith did a great job defending Designated Player Yeferson Soteldo, who was the most dangerous player on the pitch. The two dueled throughout the match and Soteldo certainly got the better of him on occasion with some fancy footwork, but Smith put a stop to many plays that could’ve ended up causing trouble. On Toronto’s goal, he made a good effort to stop Morrow’s cross but was a step behind due to Soteldo’s presence. Still, Smith led the team with four tackles and had a clearance as he put out fires on his preferred right side of defense. Offensively, Smith sent one of his two shots into orbit and the other went straight at Bono for an easy save. He was only successful on two of his five crosses, but he did lead the team with two key passes. It was certainly a busy night for Smith as he had 72 touches and was accurate on 75% of 48 passes. After a rough time last week against the Chicago Fire, Smith rebounded with a good performance and stopped Toronto’s best player from running rampant.

MF, Junior Urso, 4.5 — It was a rough night for Urso. Although he completed 83% of his 41 passes, he was dispossessed a team-high three times and was only successful on two of his four attempted dribbles. While he had 55 touches, Urso also had no shots, key passes, or crosses. The midfielder spent a majority of the match chasing down Soteldo and Alejandro Pozuelo and finished the game with a tackle and two clearances. Urso has started every game this season and the schedule is only going to get more congested in the coming weeks.

MF, Sebas Mendez, N/A — The Ecuadorian was forced off in the 14th minute due to an ankle injury. Smith accidentally stepped on Mendez’ ankle when both of them went for the ball. Mendez had to be helped off the field and was unable to put any weight on that right foot. Hopefully the injury doesn’t end up being too serious. In a short shift, Mendez finished with nine touches, a tackle, a clearance, and was accurate on five of his seven passes (71%).

MF, Benji Michel, 6 — The Homegrown Player was bullied off the ball by Toronto’s defense during most of the game, but did find success when using his speed to beat defenders. In the 73rd minute, Michel turned on the jets to chase down a long ball into the box. Before Michel could make a play on the ball, Bono slammed into him and the referee awarded a penalty after checking with the Video Assistant Referee and reviewing the play on the monitor. Michel didn’t have any shots or key passes in the match and only had 25 touches, but he influenced the game nonetheless. He was successful on 79% of his 14 passes and didn’t attempt any crosses.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 6 — The Uruguayan pulled the strings on offense in a midfield that was crowded by Toronto players all game long. Pereyra had one key pass in the match, sending a nice, low ball to Nani right in front of goal, but the ensuing shot was deflected. In 81 minutes of action, Pereyra had 68 touches, two tackles, a clearance, and completed an impressive 88% of his 60 passes. It wasn’t his best game by any stretch, but he did a decent job hustling on defense and finding open players.

MF, Nani, 6.5 — The captain has now scored in four of his last five starts. His goal against Toronto came from a penalty that wound up in the back of the net despite Bono getting a hand to it. Had it been stopped, it would have been retaken, as Bono was well off his line. Nani led the team with six shots, putting three of them on target. Toronto really didn’t give Nani much room to breathe and he was dispossessed twice, caught offside twice, and only successful on one of his four attempted dribbles. On offense he led the team with six shots, putting three of them on target, and made a key pass. None of his four crosses ended up finding their target and he finished with 34 passes at an 85% passing rate. Defensively, Nani had a tackle, an interception, and a clearance.

F, Tesho Akindele, 4.5 — While Akindele did well winning the ball up field and in hold-up play, he wasn’t much of a threat offensively. The Canadian striker had no shots or key passes and was substituted off at halftime. He had 16 touches and attempted 15 passes at an 80% success rate. With Daryl Dike at the Concacaf Gold Cup and Alexandre Pato still recovering, Akindele needed to be more efficient in this one.

Substitutes

MF, Andres Perea (13’), 6.5 — Brought on in place of Mendez early in the match, Perea did a good job on both sides of the ball. He made a few important defensive plays by intercepting a dangerous pass from Soteldo and later executing a crucial tackle on Soteldo in the box from a tough position without conceding a penalty. Perea nearly stole all three points in the 89th minute but just couldn’t get enough on his header on a tough ball and tougher defending that may have needed some video review. His only other shot in the match was on target, but didn’t give Bono much trouble. Perea was successful on both of his attempted dribbles, was dispossessed twice, and led the team with five interceptions. He made 60 touches and was superb when passing, with 91% of his 43 passes ending up successful.

F, Chris Mueller (45’), 5.5 — Coming on for Akindele at halftime, Mueller brought some needed energy to the team. His hustle nearly resulted in a goal in the 58th minute as he hunted down a loose ball in the midfield. After a series of nice passing with Michel, Mueller had a chance to shoot but Morrow broke up the play and the ball nearly snuck into the goal but hit the post. Mueller cooled off a bit but worked well in the midfield and made a few good runs. Like Akindele, he didn’t take a shot but he did at least make a key pass. Mueller was accurate on 74% of his 23 passes and had 28 touches.

MF, Uri Rosell (80’), N/A — After Orlando’s equalizer, Rosell was brought on to replace Pereyra and helped shift the midfield into a more defensive mindset. He didn’t play enough to earn a grade, but Rosell had two interceptions to help see the game out. The Spaniard had seven touches and completed both of his passes.

MF, Alexander Alvarado (90’), N/A — It was another late cameo for Alvarado, who had no touches, passes, or defensive stats in this one.

MF, Joey DeZart (90’), N/A — Like Alvarado, DeZart came on late to give the team some fresher legs. He committed a foul but it was deep in Toronto’s half after he tried slowing the game down. DeZart was successful on one of his two passes and had three touches.

That’s how I saw things play out in Canada. Make sure to weigh in how you feel about the grades in the comments and to vote for you who you think deserved the title of Man of the Match.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Kyle Smith21
Nani8
Andres Perea2
Pedro Gallese4
Other1

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do to ensure a victory over Toronto FC Saturday at home?

Published

13 hours ago

on

April 25, 2024

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

After a successful, four-point road trip, Orlando City returns from Montreal to the friendly confines of Inter&Co Stadium to face one of the other Canadian clubs, Toronto FC. The Lions are hoping to add to a four-match unbeaten streak. A win offers the opportunity to take another step up the standings.

What does Orlando City need to do to secure all three points at home against Toronto FC?

No Early Mistakes

In the last three matches, Orlando City has conceded the first goal of the match. Worse than that, each of those goals happened within the first 21 minutes. Yes, coming from behind for two draws and one win is good, but not giving up those early goals may have meant three wins instead.

Last season, Orlando City’s defense was good. We didn’t see nearly so many mental mistakes by the defense, especially so early in the match. What is frustrating is that these mistakes were seemingly preventable. The back line, the defensive midfielders, and Pedro Gallese need to tighten up in the early going so that the Lions are not chasing the match so early on.

Take Advantage of Tired Legs

Toronto FC played a match against Simcoe County Rovers in the Canadian Championship tournament on Wednesday. I’m in no way saying that Toronto trotted out their first choice lineup for the match, but even if only some of the players got a run out, that could create some tired legs for the match against Orlando. Add in the travel from Canada to Florida on short rest and it could be good news for the Lions.

If the Lions can possess the ball and make Toronto FC chase them, or if Orlando can get the first goal (see above) so that Toronto is chasing the match as well, it might pay dividends in the second half. Orlando City is good enough in the passing game to do so, though it will be interesting to see whether Martin Ojeda rejoins the starting lineup or if Nico Lodeiro gets the nod again.

One Down, Two to Go

Facundo Torres was the first of Orlando City’s three Designated Players to score a goal in the regular season. While it didn’t come in the run of play, it might still spark him to add some more since he usually starts slow and then catches fire at about this point in the season. Of course, both Luis Muriel and Ojeda contributed to the scoring against Montreal. Muriel drew the penalty that Torres took, and Ojeda provided the assist to Ivan Angulo.

Now it is time for either Muriel or Ojeda — or both — to join Torres on the scoreboard. Standing in their way will be a good keeper in Sean Johnson. So far this season, he has allowed seven goals and has 22 saves, with three clean sheets. Muriel seems to be getting closer to scoring with each shot taken, and Ojeda has missed some close ones. If all three of Orlando City’s Designated Players can start scoring regularly, this team will become dangerous quickly.

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: 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

16 hours ago

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April 25, 2024

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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!

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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

2 days ago

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April 24, 2024

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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!

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