Good morning, everyone! I hope you all had a great Labor Day weekend — the same way Orlando’s soccer teams most certainly did. All three teams picked up victories over the weekend: Orlando City B got the party started on Friday with a 4-1 win over Inter Miami CF II; Orlando City knocked off San Diego FC 1-0 on Saturday; and the Orlando Pride made it a full nine points from nine with a 3-1 win over the Houston Dash on Sunday. OCSC has a midweek game against Atlanta United Wednesday night, before all three teams are back in action over the weekend. We’ve got lots to talk about today, so let’s get into the links.

Antoine Griezmann Earns Recognition

Antoine Griezmann scored the all-important goal in Orlando City’s 1-0 win over San Diego FC on Saturday, and his performance has been rewarded with a bench place in the MLS Team of the Matchday. The goal was his fifth of the season and he now has eight goal contributions in eight league appearances with the Lions. His arrival has coincided with OCSC slowly climbing up the table into the playoff places, and the good guys will need more defensive performances like the one we saw on Saturday if they’re going to hang onto a playoff spot and potentially make some noise in the postseason.

Lessons from Matchday 24

Major League Soccer’s 24th matchday is now in the books, and there were plenty of things to be learned from the weekend’s action. Up in Canada, Josh Sargent bagged a hat trick and is starting to look more and more like the player he was at Norwich City. Toronto FC is now unbeaten in its last six games. Strikers were certainly at the forefront this weekend, as Petar Musa bagged a brace for FC Dallas in the team’s 4-3 win over Sporting Kansas City, and Breel Embolo scored a penalty kick on his Atlanta United debut to salvage a point with Inter Miami on the road. Finally, while its been an uneven year for the LA Galaxy, they knocked off the New England Revolution 2-1 at home and are now just one point outside the Western Conference playoff places.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are a number of Americans who will be playing games during the working week, and the UEFA Champions League is firmly back in the crosshairs. Things get going on Tuesday when Alex Freeman and Villarreal start their UCL campaign on the road against Borussia Dortmund. Wednesday sees Johnny Cardoso and Atletico Madrid play Liverpool on the road in UCL play, while Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, and Celtic play St. Johnstone during Scottish Premier League play. Things then wrap up on Friday when Gianluca Busio and Venezia play Fiorentina in Serie A action.

Mauricio Pochettino Speaks on Young Talent

Speaking of American players, USMNT Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino has urged caution when it comes to the hype surrounding young Yanks like Cavan Sullivan and Julian Hall. The United States Men’s National Team will play four friendlies in the upcoming international window, and with the roster set to be announced on Sept. 17, there’s plenty of people calling for young talent like Sullivan, Hall, and Justin Ellis to get some looks with the senior squad. While the USMNT coach said he’s happy about the young talent in the player pool, he also urged people to not get carried away, and said,

“We need to be careful because when you are young, of course you need to be confident, you need to have the trust in yourself, and believe that you can perform and you can do well. But the thing is it’s a limit. The balance is the most important. And one of our responsibilities is to protect this guy because sometime if you play well and you are 17, 16 or 18 and you play well and people started to know to talk about that you are Messi or you are a big star in the world because you do some few good things. If after you are confused and you don’t manage well, that can be dangerous for your career.”

Free Kicks

• Orlando City is up three places to no. 13 in ESPN.com’s MLS power rankings.
• The Orlando Pride rose one spot to no. 11 in the same publication’s NWSL power rankings.
• The Belgian Football Association says that it is still seeking clear answers about why Folarin Balogun’s red card was overturned at this summer’s World Cup.
• Vlatko Andonovski is no longer the sporting director of the Kansas City Current. The Pride play at Kansas City on Friday.

---

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

Justin Ellis has quickly established himself as one of Orlando City’s most promising young attacking players. Now, as he continues to develop, the 19-year-old is showing that his value extends beyond what he can do with the ball at his feet.

Ellis has spent much of his young career playing in central midfield or higher up the field, where his creativity and attacking instincts have made him an exciting part of Orlando City’s future. But over the last two games, he’s taken on a different challenge, moving to the right side and showing a willingness to adapt to what the team needs.

The position is new for Ellis, and it comes with considerably more defensive responsibility. Yet, instead of simply adjusting to a different spot on the field, he’s beginning to show that the move could help him become a more complete player.

“Obviously, this is a new position for me,” Ellis said after Orlando City’s 1-0 victory over San Diego FC. “Last game was the first time I played this new role, off the right a little bit. It’s so much more defending than centrally.”

For a young player who has made his biggest impact by creating and attacking, the change represents a significant adjustment. But Ellis has embraced it, even if the right side isn’t necessarily where he’d prefer to play.

“Do I prefer it? No,” Ellis said. “But will I do it? Yes.”

That willingness has allowed Ellis to remain an important part of Orlando’s attack while also taking on responsibilities that could prove valuable to his long-term development.

Ellis’ move to the right hasn’t come because Orlando suddenly stopped believing in what he could do centrally. Instead, it’s primarily the result of the Lions having more attacking options available.

Earlier in the season, Ellis benefited from circumstances that opened up opportunities in the center. Martin Ojeda was dealing with an injury, Marco Pašalić was slow to return from the World Cup amid Hull City transfer reports, and Daryl Dike was still building his fitness. That gave Ellis more opportunities to play centrally and higher up the field. The addition of Antoine Griezmann further cluttered the attack.

Ellis knew those opportunities would eventually become more difficult to come by as Orlando’s attacking group strengthened.

“I had a feeling that this was going to come at some point in the season, because we’re bringing in great players up top,” Ellis said. “I think I was lucky to have that much time in the central position because Tincho (Ojeda) was injured and then Daryl was just building his fitness. But I knew at some point.”

Rather than viewing the move as losing a role, Ellis has approached it as another opportunity to contribute. And that flexibility could become increasingly important for Orlando.

The Lions have a deep collection of attacking options, giving head coach Martin Perelman a number of players capable of influencing the game in different ways. For Ellis, being able to operate in more than one position gives him another avenue to get on the field and another way to help the team.

But playing on the right has also forced him to expand his responsibilities. The biggest difference for Ellis has been what happens when Orlando doesn’t have the ball. Playing centrally allowed him to concentrate more on finding space and influencing the attack. On the right, he has to think about the players around him and the defensive structure.

“I have to help out Griffin (Dorsey) and we’re always talking,” Ellis said.

That communication has become an important part of the adjustment. Ellis said he, Dorsey, Joran Gerbet, and David Brekalo, along with the other players on the right side, have spent time at training developing an understanding of their responsibilities.

“It’s just communication. It’s also me willing to sacrifice as well,” Ellis said. “I think me, Grif, Joran, David, our whole right side on defense, we talk a lot at training, we all know our job.”

For Ellis, that sacrifice means doing more of the work that doesn’t necessarily show up in the statistics. He has to defend wider areas, help teammates behind him, recognize when to stay with his assignment, and when to provide support elsewhere.

It’s a different side of the game for a player whose natural instincts are often geared toward getting forward. But it’s also the part of his game that Perelman believes is developing the most.

“I think the biggest change for Justin is defensively,” Perelman said Saturday night. “I think for him, the biggest change, and where he is improving and developing the most, is on the defensive side.”

That makes Ellis’ move to the right about more than simply finding a place for him in the lineup. It’s giving him an opportunity to develop an area of his game that could make his already impressive attacking ability even more valuable.

Perelman said there isn’t much that needs to be changed about Ellis’ attacking instincts. The coach sees something unique in the teenager’s ability with the ball.

“Offensively, I don’t think there is a coach who can help Justin,” Perelman said. “He’s so talented and so unique.”

Instead, Orlando’s focus is on helping Ellis learn how to combine those natural attacking abilities with the other aspects of his game.

That includes learning from the experienced players now surrounding him in the attack. Griezmann, Ojeda, Dike, Pašalić, Tyrese Spicer, and Iván Angulo are among the options Orlando can put in front of Ellis, giving the young player an opportunity to learn alongside established attackers.

Perelman said Ellis can continue developing his own game while learning how to connect with those players.

“We try to help him there, but again, I think he’s working defensively,” Perelman said.

That work was particularly noticeable to Perelman against San Diego. Despite the fact that Ellis’ attacking talent is what initially made him stand out, his manager was most impressed by what he did defensively.

“I think what I like most from him now is how he is defending,” Perelman said. “His defensive game today, for me, was amazing.”

That’s significant praise for Ellis, particularly because defensive play hasn’t traditionally been the first thing associated with his game. But it’s also exactly why Perelman believes the new role can be beneficial.

“I think this is important for him because he’s completing his profile as a player,” Perelman said.

At just 19 years old, Ellis still has plenty of time to determine exactly what kind of player he will become. His attacking ability has already made him one of the most intriguing young players on Orlando’s roster. Now he’s learning how to contribute in other ways.

The challenge now for Perelman and the Orlando City coaching staff is making sure that Ellis’ development doesn’t come at the expense of the qualities that make him special.

Moving to the right means Ellis is often receiving the ball in different areas and playing deeper than he did centrally. But once he gets possession, Perelman still wants him to trust his instincts.

The key is  having the freedom to make decisions once he has the ball.

“On the ball is different,” Ellis said. “I’m playing a lot deeper. But I don’t mind it. As long as the coach gives me freedom. Once I have the ball, he tells me, just play your game. I’m not going to tell you what to do when you have the ball.”

That balance has allowed Ellis to embrace the defensive demands of the position without feeling as though he has to become a completely different player. He can be disciplined without the ball and creative with it. He can sacrifice for the players around him and still look for opportunities to attack.

And he can play somewhere that isn’t necessarily his preferred position while continuing to develop the qualities that have made him such an exciting young player. That versatility could prove increasingly valuable as Orlando’s roster continues to take shape.

Ellis doesn’t necessarily need to become a permanent right-sided player. The value of these last two matches may ultimately be less about where he plays and more about what he learns from playing there.

For a young attacking player, learning to defend is part of becoming a more complete player. For Orlando City, discovering that Ellis can do it could give the club another option and another dimension to a player who already has plenty of attacking ones.

“Being an ’07 with that quality, and if he is going to defend like that, then the future is bright for him,” Perelman said.

Ellis may not prefer playing on the right. But he understands that being willing to do it can make him a better player. And after two matches in his new role, he’s already showing that his future may be about much more than what he can do in the middle of the field.

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.