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2021 Orlando City Season in Review: Pedro Gallese

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Pedro Gallese finished his second season in goal with Orlando City and was again a key piece of the puzzle for Oscar Pareja, taking care of every shot a goalkeeper should reasonably be expected to stop. Orlando used Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) to sign him on Jan. 17, 2020 and he’s solidified the goalkeeping position in his two years as a Lion.

Let’s look back on his 2021 MLS campaign. 

Statistical Breakdown

The Lima, Peru native appeared in 22 matches for Orlando City (all starts) and amassed 1,980 minutes — all career highs during his time in Orlando due in part to the pandemic shortening the 2020 season. An injury suffered against New York City FC and duty with the Peruvian National Team cost him a total of 12 matches in 2021, but stand-ins Brandon Austin, Mason Stajduhar, and Adam Grinwis were able to spell him.

He allowed 30 goals and made 68 saves on the season, recording a save percentage of 68% for all shots on target. He stopped one of the three penalty shots he faced and kept seven clean sheets. His passing rate improved from 72.3% a year ago to 74.5% this season. He added nine clearances.

Gallese started and played all 90 minutes in the Lions’ playoff game at Nashville, allowing three goals and stopping three shots on target from the hosts. He passed at an 87% rate in the match.

He did not appear in Orlando’s Leagues Cup match against Santos Laguna due to the injury he sustained against NYCFC.

Best Game

Gallese had a number of excellent games in 2021 but truthfully most of his clean sheets were fairly easy ones as the defense did a good job of limiting opposition chances in those games. He only had to make four total saves in his first three clean sheets of the year.

His best clean sheet performance came in his fourth shutout of the year, which took place in a 1-0 home win against Toronto FC on May 22. Gallese faced 19 total shot attempts on the night, which was the second most he saw all season — trailing only the 23 that New York City FC peppered him with at Yankee Stadium in a 5-0 Orlando loss on July 25. His five saves in the match were the most he had in any of his seven clean sheets. However, there was only one truly difficult save in that game due to a deflection and he got himself in trouble twice by getting caught out of goal, needing his defense to clear a dangerous cross and a clearance off the line by Rodrigo Schlegel to preserve the shutout.

Instead, I’m going with the home finale against Nashville SC on Oct. 31, which ended in a 1-1 draw, although Orlando City was robbed of a 2-1 win on the flimsiest overturned goal in the Lions’ history. The perplexing decision by match referee Allen Chapman prevented the Lions from clinching a playoff spot that day and ended up being the biggest talking point.

El Pulpo stopped seven of Nashville’s eight shots on target in the match, and his seven saves were the second-most he made in a game all season. The one goal allowed was on a perfect shot by Hany Mukhtar just inside the far post that he could do little about. Gallese was sharp throughout, including a save on a 10th-minute header from Walker Zimmerman on a set piece. His 87.5% save percentage was his highest all season in a non-shutout and he also passed at an 81% rate on 21 total attempts.

2021 Final Grade

The Mane Land staff gave Gallese a composite score of 8 for the 2021 MLS season, which is a full point better than his score of 7 in 2020. All of the staff grades were in the 7.5 to 8 range and his individual game grades generally only suffered due to a lack of shots faced rather than poor play. In one or two games Gallese got caught out to the side of his goal and there are times every once in a while where he doesn’t handle a cross as cleanly as you’d like, but he’s been an incredibly dependable shot stopper and you rarely see him allow a goal on a shot he can get a hand to. He simply doesn’t allow soft goals and regardless of how many different back lines he plays behind during the course of the season, the communication is generally quite good. His seven clean sheets in 2021 (and 10 in his two seasons as a Lion) were due largely to that communication and organization.

2022 Outlook

Gallese remains under contract for the 2022 MLS season and whenever he’s fit and in Orlando he will be the presumed starter, with the possible exception of early U.S. Open Cup matches. If Gallese can manage four clean sheets in 2022, he will break Joe Bendik’s career club record of 13. With his full back line slated to return next season, that seems like a mark that should fall. Some of our readers have questioned whether the club should use an international slot on a goalkeeper and I will always answer that if that keeper is as good as Gallese, then the answer is yes, absolutely.


Previous Season in Review Articles (Date Posted)

Orlando City

Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Three Keys to Victory

What does Orlando City need to do to earn a second victory in a row at home this Saturday?

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Orlando City is coming off its first win of the MLS regular season and will look to carry that momentum into Saturday night’s Eastern Conference matchup against the New York Red Bulls. The Lions will have several players back from international duty, making Oscar Pareja’s job a bit easier, although some of them will be on short rest. What does Orlando City need to do to earn all three points against the Red Bulls?

Stop Morgan

Lewis Morgan has been on a tear this season with five goals in five matches. That is more than every Orlando City player combined so far this season. The Red Bulls were held scoreless in two matches, meaning those five goals have come in three matches, with Morgan scoring a hat trick against Inter Miami. I love that he took it to the Herons like that, but I’m going to need him to cool off a bit against the Lions.

If Orlando City is to stop Morgan it will take excellent defending from the Lions’ back line and of course Pedro Gallese, who is returning from international duty. Orlando City also gets Wilder Cartagena and David Brekalo back, meaning more of the first choice lineup will be available to keep a clean sheet. With the match at home, earning a clean sheet is all the more important.

Proper Rest and Preperation

It might seem silly to say, but having more than a few days between matches is conducive to earning points. When Orlando City was participating in the Concacaf Champions Cup, the Lions never had time to properly recover or train with a game plan for the next match. Now, the Lions are able to do so, and the result against Austin FC reflects that.

Pareja is a top level MLS coach. We know that he has a plan for about the first 20 minutes of any match, and then makes adjustments throughout the remainder of the match. Even so, many of those adjustments have been planned out prior to the match. That, paired with a more rested roster, allows the Lions to be the protagonists Pareja wants them to be.

Shots, Shots, Shots

Orlando City was able to create plenty of chances against Austin FC, and will need to do so again against the Red Bulls. The Lions took 22 shots Saturday night, with eight on target, and they put two in the back of the net against Austin. Hopefully, Orlando City can be more efficient going forward, but if you don’t create opportunities, you won’t score.

The Red Bulls have some decent defenders who Orlando City will have to deal with, including fullback John Tolkin and Carlos Coronel at keeper. If the Lions can pass even close to the way they did against Austin, the opportunities will come, and if that is the case, hopefully the goals will come. Orlando City still has a sizable goal deficit, thanks to the early part of the season, that can only be corrected with more goals on the other end.


That is what I will be looking for this Saturday night at Inter&Co Stadium. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/28/24

Getting to know Rafael Santos, Orlando Pride prepare for Chicago, Midge Purce out for the season, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope the work week has been treating you well as we gear up for another weekend of soccer. March flew by for me and April is shaping up to be a pretty busy month as well. In other news, I’m looking into adopting a cat and gathering the supplies to make that happen. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Getting to Know Rafael Santos

Orlando City left back Rafael Santos was the latest Lion to field questions as part of the club’s video series for fans to learn more about its players. The 26-year-old spoke about the decision process behind joining Orlando and playing outside of Brazil for the first time in his career after five years with Cruzeiro. He’s brought his attack-minded style of play to the team, particularly in terms of providing lethal crossing from the wing. Make sure to check out the full video as Santos also shared photos of his newborn and showcased his skill with a cavaquinho.

Orlando Pride Prepare to Host Chicago

After a pair of draws to start their season, the Orlando Pride will have a chance to claim their first win of the season when they host the Chicago Red Stars tomorrow night at 6 p.m. Head Coach Seb Hines spoke about how the Pride have shown plenty of resilience so far this young season. The team managed to secure a point in last week’s 1-1 draw with Angel City FC despite a patchwork back line due to injuries. That defense will likely have its hands full against Mallory Swanson and a Chicago team that won both of its first two games. Hines spoke about how the Pride are preparing for Chicago and how they will need the home crowd to bring the support tomorrow night.

Sophia Smith Signs Record-Breaking New Deal

American forward Sophia Smith signed a new contract with the Portland Thorns that will make her the highest-paid NWSL player, according to the club. The new deal will last through the 2025 season, with an option for 2026 as well. The 23-year-old was drafted by the Thorns with the first overall pick in the 2020 NWSL Draft and has gone on to score 34 regular-season goals. Smith re-signed with the club in 2022 and was set to become a free agent following this season, but will instead stay in Portland.

Midge Purce Out for NWSL Season

NJ/NY Gotham FC forward Midge Purce will miss the remainder of the NWSL season after tearing her ACL. The 28-year-old will undergo surgery and suffered the injury in her team’s 1-0 victory over the Portland Thorns this past weekend. She’s been with Gotham since 2020 and assisted on both goals in her team’s 2-1 win in the 2023 NWSL Championship. It’s a tough blow for the United States Women’s National Team too, as she will not be representing the U.S. during this summer’s Olympics in France.

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  • Orlando City B’s match against Carolina Core FC on April 14 has been rescheduled.

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: 3/27/24

Bally Sports will broadcast Orlando Pride matches, Pride players called up, USWNT announces SheBelieves Cup roster, and more.

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Hello, Mane Landers. I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I attended my friend’s wedding this past weekend and have been getting myself back into work mode by covering high school tennis this week. There is plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Bally Sports Will Broadcast Select Orlando Pride Matches

Bally Sports was announced as the new local television partner for the Orlando Pride. There will be 13 select Pride matches broadcast this season across Bally Sports Florida, Bally Sports Sun, and on the Bally Sports app. The partnership will begin this Friday, with the Orlando Soccer Insider show taking place before the kickoff of the Pride’s home match against the Chicago Red Stars at 7 p.m. The show will be broadcast on Bally Sports Florida, and then you can switch to the Bally Sports app to watch Friday’s match. Below are all the select matches that will be broadcast on Bally Sports this season.

Brazilian Orlando Pride Players Called Up

The Orlando Pride’s Marta, Angelina, and Luana were all called up by Brazil for next month’s SheBelieves Cup. Brazil heads into this tournament after a solid showing in the Concacaf W Gold Cup. The format is different for this year’s SheBelieves Cup, as there will only be four matches instead of six. Brazil’s first match of the tournament will be a semifinal on April 6 against Canada in Atlanta.

USWNT Announces Roster for SheBelieves Cup

United States Women’s National Team interim head coach Twila Kilgore announced the 23-player roster for the 2024 SheBelieves Cup matches next month. The USWNT has won this competition four consecutive times since 2020, and is going for a seventh title in 2024. Of those called up, 19 players on this squad were part of the team that won the Concacaf W Gold Cup earlier this month. San Diego Wave forward Jaedyn Shaw, the Concacaf W Gold Cup’s MVP, is back on the roster after she led the USWNT with four goals. The squad also includes familiar names like former Pride forward Alex Morgan, Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman, and Olympique Lyon midfielder Lindsey Horan. Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario return to the squad after being sidelined with injuries. The USWNT will begin its quest to defend its SheBelieves Cup title when it faces Japan on April 6 in Atlanta.

MLS Referees Agree to New CBA

After a lockout that resulted in Major League Soccer starting the season with replacement referees, the Professional Soccer Referees Association voted to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement with the Professional Referee Organization. The new CBA is a seven-year deal that runs through January of 2031. This deal will also include significant pay raises for referees, assistant referees, and video assistant referees. The PRO referees will return to the pitch for this weekend’s MLS matches.

Ukraine, Georgia, and Poland Qualify for Euro 2024

Ukraine has qualified for this summer’s Euros after edging out Iceland 2-1 in its playoff final, with Mykhaylo Mudryk scoring the winning goal in the second half. Georgia eliminated Greece 4-2 on penalties after a 2-2 draw to book a spot in the tournament as well. Georgia qualifies for its first major tournament after coming up short in 2020. Poland also needed penalties to qualify, with goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny making the final save against Daniel James to beat Wales 5-4 on penalties after a scoreless draw.

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

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