HARRISON, NJ. (April 24, 2016) – Despite grabbing an early lead, Orlando City SC (2-2-3, 9 points) fell 3-2 against the New York Red Bulls (2-4-0, 6 points) at Red Bull Arena. The defending Major League Soccer (MLS) Supporters’ Shield Champions used three second-half goals to snap their four-game losing streak.
“It was a strange game because they kept getting chances. I thought we were always going to get another [goal] on the break and it never really materialized. I’ll have to have a look at the film but I think we gave the ball away in dangerous areas too many times but they did alright tonight,” Orlando City Head Coach Adrian Heath said. “It’s disappointing because on the counter attack I thought we were dangerous all evening. I always felt we were one pass away from getting in on two or three occasions but it wasn’t to be.”
Striker Cyle Larin earned his fourth goal of the season, and fourth at Red Bull Arena in just two games, just three minutes into the game when he tapped in Rafael Ramos’ cross from the edge of the box. Kevin Molino originally began the attack from midfield with a pass to Julio Baptista, who fed Ramos out wide. The deadly Canadian attacker made his first start since suffering an injury on April 3 against the Portland Timbers.
City managed to preserve the lead in the first half, denying the Red Bulls from scoring after 15 shots taken, five of which were blocked by impressive efforts from Orlando’s backline. Larin’s contributions were not limited to the attacking third, as he headed a save off the line in the final minutes of the first half.
Larin was far from the only Lion blocking shots. Center back Tommy Redding - in his sixth start of the season - made two huge blocks in the 9th and 19th minutes before Brek Shea’s incredible diving block on Lloyd Sam’s shot in the 40th minute. The Lions were credited with seven blocked shots total.
Goalkeeper Joe Bendik registered another outstanding night with Orlando, making six saves - tied for most in MLS this weekend - to deny New York in numerous threatening chances, including a spectacular save to stop an acrobatic strike from Mike Grella in the waning moments of the first 45.
Mike Grella equalized in the 65th minute when Sacha Kljestan took Lloyd Sam’s pass and ran along the outside of the box before slipping a pass in for Grella behind the Lions’ backline. The Red Bulls took the lead four minutes later when Bradley Wright-Phillips got the final touch on Grella’s lofted pass just inches from the goalline.
Wright-Phillips found the back of the net for a second time after Lloyd Sam sent a cross in from the right wing to Wright-Phillips just inside the 6-yard box, which proved to be the eventual game-winner after Karl Ouimette unwittingly deflected a Carlos Rivas corner service into his own net.
Next, Orlando City heads to Gillette Stadium for their second clash with the New England Revolution on April 30. The Club returns to the Orlando Citrus Bowl on May 6, when it hosts the Red Bulls at 7 p.m. ET.
First Half
3’ Kevin Molino found Rafael Ramos in space as he drove the box. Ramos found Cyle Larin open in front of the goal for the easy tap-in, his team-leading fourth goal of the season.
7’ Bradley Wright-Phillips’ goal following a scramble in Orlando’s box was waived off due to offsides. Wright-Phillips got the rebound off a save from Lions keeper Joe Bendik.
9’ Lloyd Sam threatens from inside the area but is unable to get a shot off.
19’ Lions defender Tommy Redding blocked another shot and forces a corner kick. Wright-Phillips gets on the end of Sacha Kljestan’s cross following a short corner but directs his header just wide of the near post.
22’ Wright-Phillips received a pass from Kljestan and fired a shot on Bendik, who forced it out for a corner kick.
26’ Ramos served another cross into the box for Larin, whose shot was blocked. On the ensuing corner kick, Julio Baptista fired a shot from 23 yards out, which rolled harmlessly through traffic and out for a goal kick.
29’ Wright-Phillips headed a cross back through 6-yard box to Karl Ouimette, whose header went just over the bar.
39’ Darwin Cerén lofted a clearance back into the area, which was caught by Luis Robles inside the 6-yard box. Tommy Redding challenged Robles and caused him to drop the ball, but a foul was called on Redding before Adrian Winter finished.
41’ Brek Shea heroically dove to block a Sam shot from 13 yards out following a cross from Wright-Phillips on the left wing and Mike Grella inside the area.
45’ Grella dove through the air to take a karate-kick shot on Kljestan’s cross from just eight yards out that required a spectacular save from Bendik.
45 (+2)’ Larin makes a headed save on the goal-line in the waning seconds of the half.
Second Half:
46’ Winter corralled Robles’ clearance and drove in from the left wing. Winter fed Larin a pass and his turnaround shot was easily saved by Robles.
50’ Winter Park native Dax McCarty receives a yellow card after dragging Winter down from behind.
64’ Colombian forward Carlos Rivas enters the game for Julio Baptista. It is Rivas’ fifth appearance this season.
65’ Grella equalizes with a powerful right-footed shot after Kljestan found him behind the Lions’ backline.
67’ Redding makes a perfect tackle from behind Wright-Phillips during a 3-on-3 rush.
69’ The Red Bulls took the lead when McCarty hauled in a long free kick along and directed it to Grella. Grella lofted the ball to the far post and Wright-Phillips tapped the ball as it went in.
75’ Lloyd Sam feeds Wright-Phillips for an easy tap-in from inside the 6-yard box to take a 3-1 lead.
80’ Ramos flicked the ball over the Red Bulls defender and found Larin in the box, who directed his header just wide.
84’ Carlos Rivas’ corner deflects off Karl Ouimette’s leg and into the net to draw Orlando City within one.
87’ Bendik comes up with his fifth save of the game on a point-blank effort from Alex Muyl forcing a corner kick.
90’ City’s goalkeeper made another impressive save when he stopped a powerful strike from Sacha Kjlestan from the top of box. The Lion’s goalkeeper tied Nick Rimando and Stefan Frei for most saves this weekend in MLS.
90 (+4)’ The referee indicated the end of the match, with the Lions falling 3-2 against the Red Bulls.
Scoring Summary:
ORL - Cyle Larin (Rafael Ramos) 3’
NYRB - Mike Grella (Sacha Kljestan) 65’
NYRB - Bradley Wright-Phillips (MIke Grella) 69’
NYRB - Bradley Wright-Phillips (Lloyd Sam) 75’
ORL - Karl Ouimette (OG) 84’
Misconduct Summary:
NYRB - Dax McCarty (Yellow Card) 50’
ORL - Carlos Rivas (Yellow Card) 82’
ORL - Seb Hines (Yellow Card) 90 (+3)’
ORL - Cristian Higuita (Yellow Card) 90 (+5)’
Lineups/Substitutions:
GK Joe Bendik, D Rafael Ramos, Tommy Redding, Seb Hines, Brek Shea, M Darwin Cerén, Cristian Higuita, Adrian Winter (Hadji Barry 77’), Kevin Molino, Julio Baptista (Carlos Rivas 64’), F Cyle Larin
Substitutes: GK Earl Edwards Jr., D David Mateos, Aurelien Collin, Kevin Alston, M Servando Carrasco
New York Red Bulls - GK Luis Robles, D Sal Zizzo (Chris Duvall 89’), Karl Ouimette, Ronald Zubar, Kemar Lawrence, M Felipe, Dax McCarty (Sean Davis 80’), Lloyd Sam (Alex Muyl 86’), Sacha Kljestan, Mike Grella, F Bradley Wright-Phillips
Substitutes: GK Kyle Reynish, D Zach Carroll, M Shaun Wright-Phillips, F Anatole Betrand Abang
Details of the Game
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Weather: Clear
April 24, 2016
Attendance: 18,238
Stats:
Possession:
ORL - 41.1%
NYR - 58.9%
Fouls:
ORL - 13
NYR - 12
Shots:
ORL - 11
NYR - 25
Saves:
ORL - 6
NYR - 2
Corners:
ORL - 6
NYR - 8
