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Orlando City

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

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4 years ago

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The Cardiac Cats were back as Tesho Akindele’s late strike lifted Orlando City to a huge 2-1 win over Charlotte FC. It’s the Lions’ second consecutive win away from home after they gave up the lead in their three previous road games. The win moves them up to fifth in a crowded Eastern Conference.

Let’s take a look at how the Orlando City players did individually in this game.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6.5 — Gallese didn’t have a lot to do as Charlotte only got three shots on target. The goal wasn’t his fault as McKinze Gaines got between Kyle Smith and Rodrigo Schlegel redirecting the cross on goal from within feet of Gallese. The goalkeeper nearly got beat a second time in the dying seconds when Brandt Bronico shot just over the crossbar. But it was a solid performance overall for the Lions shot stopper and another win under his belt.

D, Kyle Smith, 5.5 — It wasn’t a bad performance by Smith but he was involved in one key negative play. Starting for the suspended Joao Moutinho, Smith won five tackles, had three clearances, and completed 85.1% of his 47 passes. However, he was beaten by the Gaines run in the 66th minute that resulted in the equalizing goal for Charlotte.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6 — Schlegel wasn’t supposed to start this game after going 90 minutes for OCB on Wednesday night, but an injury to Robin Jansson pushed the center back into the starting lineup. It was a good performance by the defender, who recorded one interception and a team-high five clearances, including a couple of huge clearances when it appeared that Charlotte had a chance at goal. He completed 96.5% of his 57 passes and 10 of his 12 long balls. The only negative on Schlegel’s game was his involvement in the Charlotte goal as Gaines got between him and Smith.

D, Antonio Carlos, 6.5 — The Brazilian center back put in a strong performance, which has become quite common. Carlos recorded one tackle, four clearances, and one blocked shot on the defensive end. He completed 80.6% of his 67 passes, including one key pass, and took two off-target shots. He did concede a dangerous free kick that was inches outside the box, however.

D, Ruan, 5.5 — The right back didn’t have nearly the impact he did the first time these two teams met, when he had a goal and an assist, but it was a good game defensively for Ruan. The Brazilian ended up with one tackle won, two interceptions, and one clearance. The Lions looked to send him down the right early but the balls were too far for him to reach. He completed 71.4% of his 21 passes and had one key pass. That was it for Ruan, who was less visible than you would expect.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 7 — Araujo has proven to be a key addition for Orlando City and he had another excellent performance tonight. The defensive midfielder won five tackles, one interception, and one clearance. Going forward, Araujo completed all 40 of his passes, including two long balls. He also didn’t pick up a yellow card, which is always a risk with the hard-tackling midfielder.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 6 — With Alexandre Pato out injured, Pereyra was expected to be the key playmaker for the Lions in this game. On the defensive end, the midfielder had one tackle and two interceptions. He completed 83.3% of his 42 passes and three of his four crosses. Both shots he took were on target and he had two key passes in the attack. In the 70th minute, his free kick forced Charlotte goalkeeper Kristijan Kahlina into a diving save. However, he picked up a yellow card in the 82nd minute which will see him suspended for next Sunday’s game against New York City FC. It’s a big loss for the Lions who will be looking to extend a two-game winning streak.

MF, Jake Mulraney, 5 — It was a difficult game for the Irish midfielder, who will likely be challenged for a starting spot by Niko Gioacchini and Ivan Angulo. The attacker only completed 58.3% of his 12 passes, though he did have a key pass. He also only completed one of his six crosses and didn’t take any shots on goal.

MF, Junior Urso, 7 (MotM) — It was a terrific performance by Urso, who had one tackle, two interceptions, and blocked one shot. He completed 83.8% of his 37 passes and had a pair of key passes. One of those key passes resulted in a secondary assist on Ercan Kara’s goal in the 62nd minute. The other would’ve been a primary assist had Akindele put his first shot past Kahlina. Having a key part in both goals results in him being my Man of the Match.

MF, Facundo Torres, 6.5 — After scoring the game-winning goal in New York last weekend, it was another good showing for Torres in Charlotte. He completed 74.4% of his 39 passes and had two key passes. He had three dribbles and put his only shot on target. Torres’ biggest impact was his assist on the Kara goal. After receiving a nice pass from Urso, Torres quickly played a great ball through for Kara, putting him behind the Charlotte defense when he could slide it past Kahlina.

F, Ercan Kara, 6.5 — Kara was on a roll earlier this season after scoring five goals in six games  between May 22 and July 4. However, he hadn’t scored in his last three appearances and had been sidelined by a couple of minor knocks, keeping him out of the lineup since July 31. So it was a welcome sight to see the striker net the opening goal in the 62nd minute. He didn’t do much other than his goal, only recording eight touches, but that’s fine when a target striker scores.

Substitutes

F, Benji Michel (71’), 5.5 — Michel came on for Mulraney in the 71st minute as the Lions looked to see out a draw. He didn’t have a big impact on the game, only recording 10 touches and completing 83.3% of his six passes.

F, Tesho Akindele (79’), 6.5 — Similar to Kara, who he replaced, Akindele wasn’t very active but had a huge impact. He only had 11 touches and completed 71.4% of his seven passes, but he scored the winning goal and had a key clearance on a set piece. His first shot on the counter attack was right at Kahlina, but the rebound went right back to him and he put the second chance in.

MF, Wilder Cartagena (86’), 5.5 — Cartagena was brought on for Pereyra in the final minutes prior to Akindele’s goal. The midfielder didn’t have any defensive stats, but completed both of his passes.

MF, Niko Gioacchini (86’), 5 — Gioacchini came on with four minutes remaining in regular time for Torres. He only had eight touches and didn’t complete any of his four passes, but he did win four aerial duels, which were key as the team was looking to hold onto a 2-1 lead late.

That’s how I saw the individual performances in this game. Let us know how you saw it and vote on the Man of the Match below.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Ercan Kara
0
Facundo Torres18
Cesar Araujo23
Tesho Akindele17
Junior Urso8
Other (let us know in the comments)0

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 9/16/26

Orlando City’s Open Cup match day, the Summer of Maxime Crepeau, USMNT news, and more.

Published

3 hours ago

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September 16, 2026

By

Image of Maxime Crepeau taking a goal kick against Atlanta.
Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s match day as Orlando City looks to advance to the final of the 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. If the Lions are able to win tonight, they will host the final at Inter.co Stadium. That is something I’d greatly like to see again. Hopefully, Orlando City can continue the good run of form for at least another match. For now, let’s get to the links.

Orlando’s Open Cup Continues

Antione Griezmann got a whole 25 minutes or so of rest in the match against Toronto FC. As such, I know he will be fully rested for the U.S. Open Cup match against the Columbus Crew. Orlando City is one victory away from playing for a second Open Cup trophy. St. Louis City and the Colorado Rapids play in the other semifinal match. Orlando City and the Columbus Crew are both looking for a second title in the competition.

Summer of Crepeau

Maxime Crepeau has professionally had a great summer since the World Cup began. He was the starting goalkeeper for Canada and acquitted himself well. Upon returning to Orlando City, he has been one of the best players on the team. He did, sadly, lose his father earlier this month, and as such, he wasn’t called up for Canada’s fall friendlies. As tough a time as it must be for Crepeau, he has performed admirably for Orlando City.

Orlando Pride News

The Orlando Pride maintained their 11th place in the standings and in the Goal.com NWSL power rankings. Of course, the future is brighter thank to the Pride signing Barbra Banda through 2029. On the back of that good news, season ticket memberships for 2027 are now on sale. Marta made an appearance in the latest match, and she and former Pride striker Alex Morgan, along with Crystal Dunn, sent an open letter to FIFA asking the organization to line up the U-20 Women’s World Cup with the international calendar.

USMNT News

U.S. Soccer has selected TQL Stadium in Cincinnati to host the home leg of the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal round in November. The opponent will be determined following the conclusion of the Concacaf Nations League group stage League A matches. Unfortunately, Diego Luna won’t be available for selection, as he will be out for months due to a knee injury that may require surgery. Over in Europe, other USMNT players are getting ready for the Europa League competition.

Free Kicks

That will do it for today. You can follow The Mane Land on Bluesky for live match updates, and we will also have a recap of the match tonight. Vamos Orlando!

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Orlando City

PawedCast Episode 551: Toronto Rewind, Crew and Revs Previews, OCB, and More

The Lions took care of Toronto and now face the Crew in USOC and the Revs on the road.

Published

23 hours ago

on

September 15, 2026

By

Image of Harvey Sarajian celebrating his first MLS goal.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Jeremy Reper

Orlando City picked up its second consecutive home shutout win and third win on the bounce, extending its unbeaten run in the process with a 3-0 blanking of Toronto FC on Saturday. It was an important win, as the Lions had to rotate some players to prepare for Wednesday’s U.S. Open Cup semifinal match at Columbus, and the kids were more than all right. So was Antoine Griezmann, who scored for the fifth consecutive match, leading to a halftime advantage. Harvey Sarajian and Ivan Angulo put the game to bed late, but there were other good opportunities and although they went wanting, so did all of Toronto’s chances.

We break down a solid home win over a streaking Toronto club, look back at our score predictions, and make our selections for Man of the Match.

Our mailbagbox asked us about Griezmann, our go-to, fast-casual Mexican food orders,Tiago, and more. Remember, if there’s anything — and we do mean anything — you want us to address on the show, just ask us by tweeting it to us at @TheManeLand with the hashtag #AskTMLPC, or hitting us up on Bluesky Social with that same hashtag.

After the mailbagbox, we discuss OCB’s home win over Toronto FC II on Sunday, in which Sarajian made it two straight nights with a goal in a professional soccer match. He chipped in an assist on Sunday for good measure as the Young Lions won 3-1 and climbed into a playoff position with one match remaining. OCB can finish anywhere from third to 11th in the Eastern Conference standings depending on Decision Day results Sunday, but a win over Atlanta United 2 would ensure a postseason berth.

Finally, we look ahead to two more opponents this week. The Lions will face the Crew on the road, where wins aren’t easy to come by. That game could lead to a home USOC final match if things go well, but the Crew have improved and will be a difficult out. The Lions will then proceed to New England to face a rejuvenated Revolution side that currently occupies third spot in the Eastern Conference. That match takes place in the house of horrors they call Gillette Stadium. We provide our key matchups and score predictions for the latter after reviewing the series history against both clubs.

Be sure to rate and review our show wherever you get your podcasts. Remember, we’ll read any five-star reviews we get on Apple Podcasts on the next show.

If you’d like to support our independent writing and podcasting efforts, we’d love to have you as a subscriber or donor over at our Buy Me a Coffee site.

Here’s how No. 551 went down:

0:15 – Orlando City extended its streak at the expense of Toronto’s.

20:54 – The mailbagbox has had its expectations exceeded.

33:15 – OCB rolls into Decision Day while the senior Lions prepare for two massive matches in the team’s pursuit of a trophy and a playoff spot.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 9/15/26

Recognition for two Lions, Pride players earn props, lessons from MLS matchday 26, and more.

Published

1 day ago

on

September 15, 2026

By

Image of Ivan Angulo controlling the ball between two Atlanta defenders.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Good morning, everyone. It was another solid weekend of action for Orlando’s soccer teams, as Orlando City and Orlando City B picked up victories over Toronto FC and Toronto FC II, respectively, while the Orlando Pride battled to a 2-2 draw with the Kansas City Current on the road. We’ve got another busy week ahead of us, as the Lions have a U.S. Open Cup semifinal match with the Columbus Crew Wednesday night, before all three teams are in action over the weekend. There’s lots to talk about today, so let’s get into the links.

Lions Earn Recognition for Performances vs. Toronto

Orlando City turned in another winning performance on Saturday night, and a couple of Lions are getting some love for their part in securing the three points. Ivan Angulo turned in a Man of the Match performance from left back and left wing, and he would have had an assist to add to his goal if not for a bad miss by Daryl Dike. He’s been rewarded with a starting spot in the MLS Team of the Matchday, and it’s a well-deserved inclusion. Meanwhile, Antoine Griezmann scored in a fifth game running, and his diving effort has earned him a nomination for the MLS Goal of the Matchday. Congrats to both men, and keep up the good work!

Praise for Pride Players

Not to be outdone, the Orlando Pride have not one, not two, but three players who are getting some just recognition for their efforts over the weekend. We start with Cosette Morche, who is up for the NWSL Save of the Week thanks to the diving, fingertip save she made in the 29th minute to deny Vanessa DiBernardo.

Then, there’s Ally Lemos, who is up for the NWSL Assist of the Week thanks to the long ball over the top that she played on Barbra Banda’s first goal.

Finally, there’s Banda herself, who is up for both the NWSL Goal of the Week, thanks to the spectacular first goal she scored, as well as the NWSL Player of the Week. Make sure you go vote for all three players!

Lessons from Matchday 26

Major League Soccer’s 26th matchday is done and dusted, and there are plenty of things to take away from the weekend’s action. For one thing, Nashville’s draw with Inter Miami kept the ‘Yotes eight points clear in the Supporters’ Shield race, although the Vancouver Whitecaps’ victory allowed them to make up some ground. Out west, the Colorado Rapids had a busy summer transfer window, and some of their new additions came good in the team’s 1-0 win over CF Montreal. Finally, much closer to home, Griezmann scored his third straight game-winning goal on Saturday, and OCSC is now 6-2-2 since the Frenchman’s arrival.

Americans in Midweek Action

There are plenty of Americans set to take part in games during the working week, so make sure you have some of these highlighted on the calendar. Things get started later today when Antonee Robinson and Fulham face West Ham in the Carabao Cup. The action continues tomorrow when Johnny Cardoso and Atletico Madrid take on Osasuna in La Liga, while Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan host Benfica to start their Europa League campaign. The latter part of the week has Alex Freeman and Villarreal playing Malaga in La Liga, with Folarin Balogun and Monaco taking on Lens in Ligue 1 play on Friday.

Free Kicks

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

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