Orlando City player ratings
by Steve Clare
The Lions made a nervous beginning understandably as some of the younger players stuck to playing the simple passes. They didn’t look entirely comfortable playing the ball out of the back though neither did their opponent early on. Inspired by Kaka though, Orlando were the dominant side for most of the first 75 minutes.
The relationship between Lewis Neal and Brek Shea was the first formational issue to catch the eye. After the interval, the purple side only got better initially until a shrewd substitution from NYCFC shook things up. Nonetheless, Saunders only had one big save to make in the first 75 minutes, so the level of threat has a way to go to match the effort in the back 2/3 of the field.
Here are the individual ratings:
Donovan Ricketts 6: The veteran had very little to do early, by which we mean before the first 75 minutes. When he did, Mix Diskerud’s shot was too good for him and he was not at fault for the poor coverage.
Rafael Ramos 6.5: Right back Ramos showed early nerves and inexperience in waiting for Collin to cut out Nemec from Josh Williams’ cross in the 9th minute. It could and should have proved fatal. The Portuguese was very willing to get forward thereafter though.
Seb Hines 6.5: The half American half Englishman may not have been at fault for crashing into NY keeper Josh Saunders and barging the him onto the post, but subsequently prodding the ball into the net when the keeper lay injured left a bitter taste in the mouth. He made a brave block to charge down a first half shot. A good first half but most of the action was well in front of him. Overall, a solid start to his life in this league.
Aurelien Collin 5: An early clumsy challenge on Villa showed he hadn’t lost any of his bite, nor gained any judgment. He lost Adam Nemec at a free kick and was fortunate to see the Slovak waste the chance. Still, he did prove a calming influence early until some of the nervier players relaxed.Collin made a good interception to deny the increasingly lively Villa in 51′. Another key tackle on Ned Grabavoy won a goal kick and killed a rare NYCFC threat.
However he was dismissed for an atrocious one footed challenge on Villa that could have injured one of the league’s superstars in his first game, in a moment that is sure to be the weekend’s talking point. He was heading for a 7 but the tackle cost him key points; one for the damage he could have done to Villa and another to the damage his red card did to his team.
Brek Shea 8: The returning left back won a great free kick when burning Williams early. He did not win any friends with a dive to con a penalty out of an angry Andrew Jacobson just before the half hour but referee Alan Kelly was up to the mark. A yellow card for it was a good signal to the players to stray away from the theatrics by Kelly which She’s colleagues failed to note. However, the former Dallas winger showed some classy moves shortly after. Shea infuriated his team mates by a foul off the ball at an Orlando corner which removed any threat just before half time. Referee Kelly saw it and the chance passed. A little more discipline is called for. He was far better disciplined in the second half when he shepherded Villa out of the area without asking a challenge, and kept his arms well behind his body when defending a subsequent cross from the Spaniard.
In the second half, he shepherded substitute Shelton smartly without conceding a shot. Shea has all it takes to be a star on this side but he and Lewis Neal need to work further on who does what when Shea moves forward.
Amobi Okugo 6.5: The 23 year-old did what a midfield stopper should do when his side is on top, stay where he is supposed to be and cover any gaps, especially when Higuita, Ramos or Shea went forward. In a first half dominated by his side, he had little chance to shine in a defensive capacity. Still, he was up to the task when called, including a timely interception in 57′. Four minutes later, he threaded a through ball to Rivas who frustratingly lacked the wits to stay onside. A very decent first outing. Like most of his colleagues, he did not deserve to be on a losing side.
Cristian Higuita 5: The young Colombian made a great tackle in the 19th to mug Mix Diskerud. His distribution was also good. He was on the wrong end of a nasty tackle by Mehdi Ballouchy before half time. His 50th minute careless giveaway luckily caught Nemec asleep or it could have proved more disastrous. His speed won a dangerous free kick off Brovsky whom he tormented all afternoon. He was correctly booked for diving by an alert Kelly in 77 and will now have to shake the reputation for diving in exactly the way his compatriot Fredy Montero had to.
Kevin Molino 8.5: Molino knows the Orlando club better than many of his newer colleagues. He did well to frequently get in spaces behind Jacobson and Diskerud, where Kaka had the skill to find him. He was harshly booked for simulation and seemed to be fouled before going down. He had an outstanding first half. He was the first to test Saunders in the second half and produced a good save from the LA keeper. The corner he won forced a goalline stop from Grabavoy. Although he latterly faded, by the time that happened, he was already sufficiently ahead of the pack to be our Orlando Player of the Match. It’s good to see the guys who exceled in the lower leagues make the step up for the same club.
Kaká 7.5: The Brazilian was at the centre of much of Orlando’s early play. A poor effort on the turn in 12 went wide. He seemed to be having fun and his attitude to being there was infectious. He hit a decent thump on 38 which tested Saunders. He got the little bit of luck his side deserved when a free kick was deflected off a defender into the net for an equalizer. As NYCFC revived his influence waned but there is no doubt, we will all be looking forward to see him play on every occasion, live or on tv, that we can.
Lewis Neal (0ff in 79′) 6: He wasted a 14th minute free kick by putting it too near Saunders. It’s a tough act playing midfield in front of a full back who used to occupy the wing space were you are now patrolling. He was too slow to close down Diskerud on 75, giving him time to place the ball perfectly for the opening goal.
Carlos Rivas (off in 93′) 5.5 : The Colombian forward looked MLS quality pretty quickly but was wrong to be inn an offside position on 31 when it was his role to watch the line. Exactly another 31 minutes later he did the same thing and wasted Okugo’s excellent threaded pass. He blasted over just before half time when he ought to have tested Saunders. His pace drew a timely yellow from ex- Quake Jason Hernandez. He fired wide from a short tap free kick when he ought to have made Saunders work. Rivas is only 20 but his bedtine reading has to be the offside rule, resplendent with diagrams and the bench he will be sitting on if he doesn’t learn.
Bryan Rochez (on in 79): He replaced Neal after his side went behind. His energy helped chase NYCFC defenders a little more. Not enough time to earn a mark.
Sean St Ledger (on in 93′): Not enough time to earn a mark.
