Orlando City’s match against San Diego FC at Inter.co Stadium was the first-ever meeting between the two clubs, and the Lions made sure the inaugural meeting went their way. The Lions ground out a 1-0 win, built around Antoine Griezmann’s 28th-minute goal, and an organized, resilient defensive team effort. San Diego wasn’t clinical by any means, but it is a dangerous team and has been in good form of late. In any case, for Orlando’s defense — the second most porous in MLS this season — a 1-0 win with a clean sheet attached is a welcome result, and the visitors didn’t create much danger (0.47 expected goals) thanks to a complete team effort defensively.

Let’s take a look at how Orlando City’s players rated in their matchup against San Diego FC.

Starters

GK, Maxime Crepeau, 6 — San Diego didn’t test Crépeau much, but he did what he needed to do when he was called on, making two saves and keeping a rare clean sheet. The night’s biggest moment came in the 22nd minute, palming a close-range Anders Dreyer shot over the end line. He also closed down Dreyer well in the 38th (even though the play was offside anyway), and bravely stood his ground under pressure to disrupt a ball into the box and draw a foul in the 97th. He completed 76.2% of his passes and connected on six of 16 long-ball attempts. Crepeau did it all after losing his father earlier in the week. The stadium held a moment of silence for the keeper, and the Lions all wore black armbands in honor.

D, Bernardo Rhein, 6 — Cleared to start after a recent thigh issue, Rhein had a quiet, competent, 51 minutes before Martín Ojeda replaced him. His only real blemish was a poor pass out of a dangerous area in the 12th minute — outside of that, there’s not much else to report in either direction, which is good, considering the teenager was tasked with keeping tabs on Dreyer. He completed 91.3% of his passes and added a clearance and a long ball that didn’t find a mark.

D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — The captain had a solid night, along with the rest of the back line, but also contributed offensively, bypassing the San Diego defense with a great ball over the top in the 28th minute that started the move for Griezmann’s goal. He showed presence of mind, staying composed under pressure, helping to play out from the back, shielding the ball and winning a foul, with Elias Achouri draped all over him in the 64th minute. Jansson marshalled the back line that kept San Diego from threatening Crepeau most of the night. He completed 92.7% of his passes, found a teammate on three of six long balls, and finished with three clearances.

D, David Brekalo, 6.5 — Brekalo had a good night for the Lions. He made a great sliding tackle in the 46th minute and had a good read on a cross from Oscar Verhoeven in the 57th that he intercepted. Brekalo led the team with 84 touches, completed 93.5% of his passes, and finished with four clearances, a tackle, and a key pass.

D, Griffin Dorsey, 6.5 — Dorsey was involved early and often — he attempted a cross that didn’t find a teammate in the 14th minute, made a good defensive stop two minutes later, made a nice progressive carry through midfield in the 18th, had another good attacking run and cross in the 23rd, and a smart defensive stop just outside the box in the 32nd. He was a little bit quieter in the second half, but that appeared to have more to do with substitutions changing his role than anything on Dorsey’s part. The biggest issue he had was in the attacking third, where he got forward but struggled to pick out the right pass or deliver the final ball with accuracy. He completed 85.7% of his total passes, put up a team-high five tackles, and added three clearances. Offensively he took one off-target shot, and connected on one of four long ball attempts.

MF, Ivan Angulo, 5.5 — Angulo was a little quiet for most of the first half but got more involved after the break, helping snuff out a promising San Diego counter in the 55th minute, showing a slightly loose touch before recovering well 12 minutes later, and giving the ball away in a dangerous area again in the 70th minute. His best, and worst, sequence came in the 72nd minute, doing well to get in behind and onto a Martin Ojeda through ball. He took a bit of a heavy touch to round the goalkeeper, which allowed the defense to arrive and bother him so that he got nothing on his shot from point-blank range on an empty net. Kieran Sargeant blocked what should have been the Lions’ second goal at the last second. Angulo closed the second half with excellent defensive work, though, and his usual relentless energy. He completed 92.1% of his passes, connected on one of two crosses, put the aforementioned shot on target, and added an interception. He loses points for missing the sitter and for getting a pointless yellow card for dissent.

MF, Joran Gerbet, 6 — Gerbet was tidy in the defensive midfield role before making way for Wilder Cartagena in the 66th minute. It started early, with the Clemson product winning the ball with a good defensive stab in the fourth minute, fighting to win possession and draw a foul again in the 19th, and showing good composure under pressure in the 36th. His passing was the best on the team at 94.9%, and he chipped in an interception and a clearance defensively, adding an off-target shot on the offensive side of the ball.

MF, Eduard Atuesta, 6 — Aside from a couple of minor giveaways and over-hit attempts to send players in behind, Atuesta had a solid night, before Luis Otávio replaced him in the 75th. He was slow to connect with his teamates resulting in a needless giveaway in the sixth minute but did well to hold the ball under pressure and draw a foul in the 26th. He contributed to some buildup play in tight spaces in the second half as well, something not really showing up in the stats. He was also an integral part of a stout Orlando defense in the middle of the pitch. He misfired on all four of his long-ball attempts and completed 86.7% of his passes, adding a key pass and an interception.

MF, Justin Ellis, 6.5 — The Homegrown Player was one of Orlando’s most involved players all night. He combined well early, finding Dorsey with a good touch in the 14th minute to trigger an attack, and slipping him in behind again in the 23rd. He then helped to deliver the moment of the match in the 28th minute, controlling a pass from Daryl Dike in tight space, before setting up Griezmann’s goal. He kept working after the break — showing excellent footwork under pressure to spark an attack in the 49th, but had a rare lapse in the 51st when he decided not to pass to Dike in the box, choosing instead to try to play through three defenders, and losing possession. Ellis showed his control again though, winning possession, advancing the ball, and this time sending a feed to Dike in the 53rd, which ended in a blocked shot and a corner. He sent a brilliant back-heel to Atuesta in the 59th to help threaten the San Diego box, again ending in a corner. He finished with two shots (both off target), two key passes, one assist, one completed long ball, and he hit on one of three crosses while adding two tackles and an interception and passing with 86.7% accuracy.

F, Daryl Dike, 6.5 — Dike’s best moment came in the buildup to the opening goal, showing great control on Jansson’s long ball before deftly playing it through a defender to Ellis, picking up a secondary assist on Griezmann’s goal in the 28th minute. He also had a decent chance in the box in the 53rd that was blocked and held the ball up well when called on before Tyrese Spicer replaced him in the 66th minute. He took two shots (both off target), completed five of his eight passes for 62.5% accuracy, chipped in a key pass, missed on his one long ball attempt, and contributed a tackle, an interception, and a clearance on the defensive side.

F, Antoine Griezmann, 7.5 (MotM) — Griezmann scored the only goal of the match in the 28th minute, and was Orlando’s string puller throughout the night. He drove toward the box from the right for an early shot in the seventh minute. All three of his shots on the night were on target. He was just as involved without the ball, winning it back with smart defensive interventions in the 31st, 58th, 83rd, and 86th minutes, and he nearly turned provider himself with a ball in behind for Ojeda in the 64th that was just slightly overhit. He completed 78.4% of his passes, chipped in a key pass, connected on two of his seven crosses, and added three tackles and a clearance at the other end.

Substitutes

MF, Martín Ojeda (51′), 5.5 — On for Rhein and making his first appearance at home since May, Ojeda’s best moment came in the 59th minute with a good buildup sequence and a shot on goal. An overcooked pass to a charging Ellis in the box in the 67th minute and another loose touch in the 86th kept him from contributing more. Still working his way back to full sharpness after a long injury layoff, he completed 66.7% of his passes and had two key passes, a missed cross attempt, and three incomplete long-ball attempts to his name with no defensive stats to speak of.

MF, Wilder Cartagena (66′), 6.5 — Cartagena made an immediate defensive impact after replacing Gerbet, with a great sliding tackle to snuff out a cutback in the box in the 71st minute and another good tackle just outside Orlando’s box in the ninth minute of stoppage time that the referee controversially whistled as a foul. He nearly scored in the 88th minute, pinging the ball off the crossbar, for it to bounce off of Manu Duah and the goal line, but the spin took it away from goal. He completed 92.9% of his passes, added an interception, contributed a key pass, and connected on one cross and one long ball.

F, Tyrese Spicer (66′), 6 — On for Dike, Spicer’s best sequence came in the 87th, getting past the San Diego defense and cutting the ball back for Griezmann, whose shot from a tight angle was saved by the goalkeeper and knocked out for a corner. He took one shot, although it was not on target, and had no other offensive or defensive stats to speak of. He passed at 66.7% accuracy. As usual, he made his presence felt through buildup play and high energy.

MF, Marco Pasalic (75′), 6 — Pasalic’s short cameo after coming on for Ellis was tidy if unspectacular. He did well to fight for posession throughout his time on the pitch. He shepherded the ball out of bounds under pressure and suffered fouls to keep Orlando in control. He blocked a shot, completed all four of his passes, and took two off-target shots.

MF, Luis Otávio (75′), 6 — Otávio’s cameo for Atuesta was brief but positive. He calmly played out from the back and found Griezmann with a good pass through the middle in the 82nd minute, then read the game well enough to make a smart tactical foul to stop an attack in the 85th minute. He completed 80% of his passes and added a tackle and a clearance defensively.

That’s how I saw the individual performances in Orlando’s clean sheet win. Let us know how you saw the game in the comments below, and don’t forget to vote for your Man of the Match.

Hello, Mane Landers, and happy Labor Day! I hope you’re all having a good holiday weekend. I’ve been busy at work covering golf, soccer, and football. Our beloved Lions, Pride, and OCB were all in action and picked up wins over the weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Shut Out San Diego FC

Orlando City defeated San Diego FC 1-0 on Saturday at Inter.co Stadium. Antoine Griezmann scored the only goal of the match in the first half for the Lions. Goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau made two saves in the match just days after his father passed away as Orlando held on to preserve the clean sheet. The club held a moment of silence for Crepeau’s father before kickoff, and the players wore black armbands. Orlando City will be on the road to face Atlanta United on Wednesday, followed by a home match on Saturday against Toronto FC.

Orlando Pride Defeat Houston Dash

The Orlando Pride defeated the Houston Dash 3-1 on Sunday at Inter.co Stadium in the first match under interim head coach Yolanda Thomas. After weather delayed kickoff by about 90 minutes, Barbra Banda forced an own goal on Houston defender Leah Klenke to give the Pride the lead. Banda converted from the spot on a penalty Summer Yates won to double Orlando’s lead just before halftime. In the second half, Banda set up Haley McCutcheon’s goal to give the Pride a 3-0 lead. Houston pulled one back, but Orlando took the three points. The Pride will be on the road for their next match on Friday against the Kansas City Current.

OCB Beats Inter Miami II

Orlando City B defeated Inter Miami II 4-1 on Friday at Chase Stadium in Fort Lauderdale. Issah Haruna scored the opener for OCB in the first half before Miami equalized. Harvey Sarajian and Gustavo Caraballo scored to give the Young Lions a 3-1 lead going into halftime. In the second half, Ignacio Gomez buried his penalty kick for OCB to seal back-to-back wins. The Young Lions will be home for their next match against Toronto FC II on Sunday at Osceola County Stadium.

Former Lion Chris Mueller Retires

Former Lion and Chicago Fire winger Chris Mueller announced his retirement from professional soccer on Friday. Mueller began his pro soccer career with Orlando City when the club selected him as the sixth overall pick in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft. He scored 22 goals and recorded 20 assists in 126 matches for the Lions and spent four seasons with the club. Mueller’s best season came in 2020, when he scored 10 goals and added seven assists, and he played a key role in leading Orlando to its first MLS Cup playoff appearance. He left Orlando after the 2022 season to play for Scottish Premiership side Hibernian FC before joining the Fire. Mueller was diagnosed with pericarditis in 2025, which limited his minutes as he missed the entire 2025 season and played five matches for Chicago in 2026. We at The Mane Land wish Mueller all the best in his retirement.

Free Kicks

• U.S. Soccer featured Orlando City on its website, recapping the Lions’ run to the semifinals of the 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Orlando City will take on the Columbus Crew on Sept. 16.
• Orlando Pride forward Seven Castain, who is on loan at Dallas Trinity, scored her second goal of the fall season in the USL Super League.

• Telstar goalkeeper Ronald Koeman Jr, who is the son of Netherlands legend Ronald Koeman, scored twice from the spot to help his club salvage a 2-2 draw against Cambuur in the Eredivisie on Sunday.
• Former Leicester City forward Jamie Vardy has reached an agreement to join Burnley in the EFL Championship for the remainder of the season.
• Gio Reyna scored his first goal since joining RC Strasbourg in the summer in a 6-2 win against Troyes in Ligue 1 on Sunday.
• The U.S. Women’s U-20 National Team fell 2-1 to Italy on Sunday in its opening match in the 2026 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Poland. That result was Italy’s first-ever win in the competition, while the U.S. will look to bounce back against Japan on Wednesday.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.

Orlando City defeated San Diego FC 1-0 in the first-ever match between the two clubs at Inter.co Stadium Saturday night on Antoine Griezmann’s goal. Despite a bevy of chances, the Lions were only able to score the one goal. Thankfully, it was enough for Orlando City to earn all three points and to move up to eighth in the Eastern Conference standings.

Here are my five takeaways from the match.

Back-and-Forth First Half

Orlando City and San Diego played similar styles in the first half. It started with the Lions on the front foot, pressuring San Diego’s back line. When it went the other way, Orlando City had to absorb the pressure. It went back and forth through the entire first half with San Diego having the advantage in possession and Orlando City the advantage in shots and shots on target. It felt like either team could get the opening goal. Fortunately, it was Orlando City that struck first.

Grizi Strikes Again

Orlando City struck first (and last, as it turned out) with Antoine Griezmann finishing off a beautiful team goal for Orlando City in the 28th minute. It was his fourth goal in the last three matches. Robin Jansson sent one of his distinctively accurate long balls to Daryl Dike in the right side of the box. Dike turned and quickly laid it off to Justin Ellis, who deftly pushed it forward to the oncoming Griezmann. He took one touch with his left foot to settle it and then took the shot with his right foot, putting it into the bottom left corner of the goal. It is the type of goal that is becoming more common for Orlando City, thanks to the quality Griezmann brings to the attack.

Recovery Defense

San Diego typically enjoys having the ball, and the visitors held 54% of the possession in the match, but it wasn’t enough. Orlando City did a good job of disrupting San Diego in the midfield, and often in San Diego’s half. The Lions were quick to recover whenever the ball was turned over. It was that tenacity that kept San Diego from being able to keep the ball for extended periods of time and limited their opportunities to create chances.

Darn Duah

There were many opportunities that went wanting for the Lions, including Wilder Cartagena’s shot in the 89th minute that hit the crossbar and went straight down but didn’t cross the line for a goal. However, if it wasn’t for San Diego’s Manu Duah, Orlando City may have scored five or more goals. The young defender finished with two tackles, four interceptions, three clearances, and one blocked shot. Even though I know it wasn’t the case, it felt like every one of those interventions came during a potential scoring opportunity for Orlando City. Thankfully, the Lions didn’t need a second goal to take all three points.

A Clean Sheet

Orlando City did just enough on defense to earn the first clean sheet since the 1-0 win over Nashville on July 25. Maxime Crepeau didn’t have too much to do as San Diego only managed seven shots, with only two of those on target, but he kept them all out of the back of the net. It was an emotional night for Crepeau who lost his father Rémi Crepeau earlier in the week. There was a moment of silence for his father before the match, and the team wore black armbands during the match to honor him. I’m always happy when Orlando City manages a clean sheet, but I’m very glad that Crepeau was able to earn one on this night in particular.

That is what I saw in Orlando City’s 1-0 victory over San Diego FC. It was a valuable three points as the club tries to overcome the pre-World Cup hole the Lions dug to start the season. Let us know your thoughts about the San Diego match in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!