ORLANDO, Fla. (July 5, 2017) – In its first home match since June 17, Orlando City SC (8-7-5, 29 points) fell, 3-1, to Toronto FC (11-3-5, 38 points) Wednesday at Orlando City Stadium. Carlos Rivas scored his fourth goal of 2017 on Kaká’s fourth assist of the campaign.
“Obviously disappointed to lose at home, first and foremost. Disappointed to go into a long break now, to have to feel the suffering of losing three points now for the next two weeks, ” Lions Head Coach Jason Kreis said. “But it doesn’t change the fact that we know there’s some particular areas that we need to be really focused on improving in the next couple of weeks. We’re going to take the opportunity with extended period of time to train, to really get after those things and get back to some of the things that brought us a lot of success at the beginning of the season.”
Toronto got on the board in the 18th minute when Sebastian Giovinco found Jozy Altidore in alone. The U.S. national team striker slipped it through for the 1-0 lead.
City controlled much of the half from then on, with Giles Barnes showing notable chemistry with Kaká up the right wing. The two played several clever combinations to free space for Barnes on the flank or for Kaká to cut back across the middle.
Kreis inserted speedy Colombian winger Carlos Rivas to start the second half and Rivas immediately sparked the attack. It was Toronto that capitalized, though, when Altidore found himself in alone and just held it for Giovinco to chip into the net for his first goal of two.
The Lions pushed from there and eventually found the mark following a nice play by Kaká. Barnes played it for the captain, who slipped it in behind for Rivas to run onto and swing off the far post and in. Rivas’ fourth goal sets his MLS career high and puts him in second on the team in scoring.
Just two minutes later, Giovinco curled a free kick over the wall and inside the post.
The match saw Richie Laryea make his third consecutive appearance. It also saw Rafael Ramos make his second appearance of the season when he entered the match in place of Scott Sutter in the 61st minute.
The Lions have two weeks until their next match on Friday, July 21, when 2017 expansion side Atlanta United FC visits Orlando City Stadium for a 7 p.m. ET kickoff.
Tickets to all City home matches are available at OrlandoCitySC.com or by calling 855-ORL-CITY. Follow the latest Orlando City news and updates via Facebook, Twitter,Instagram and YouTube.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS:
First Half
1’ Kaká kicks off the match and the Lions attack South to North.
10’ José Aja intervenes on Sebastian Giovinco’s run through the box to force a goal kick.
12’ Oyvind Alseth is shown a yellow card for a tackle on Will Johnson.
18’ Giovinco finds Jozy Altidore, who puts it into the back of the net. Orlando City 0, Toronto FC 1.
20’ Kaká finds Giles Barnes up the right wing. Barnes whips the ball in for Cyle Larin but Alex Bono leaps out to make the catch.
23’ Jonathan Spector is shown a yellow card for pulling Altidore’s jersey until he fell.
24’ Giovinco’s free kick from 35 yards out knuckleballs its way off the bar, straight down and out.
25’ Kaká uses a good bit of skill to move the ball through the midfield and up to Will Johnson. The Lions bang it around before it goes out of play.
30’ Barnes runs through the middle and works it to Kaká, who penetrates, regathers, goes in again and tip-toes across the endline before feeding a dangerous cross that is cleared away. Due to the intense heat, the match is paused for a water break.
34’ Kaká works with Barnes again, this time playing a clever give-and-go to release Barnes, who draws a free kick 30 yards out on the right wing.
35’ Servando Carrasco gets in behind the back line, turns and drills a cross for Larin but Toronto clears. The Lions continue pressuring, this time up the left wing with Kaká, Johnson and Barnes. Johnson takes the ball at full speed and drills a shot that bounces on its way to Bono.
35’ Barnes and Kaká play another slick combination to find space, Kaká slips it through for Barnes on an overlapping run but his cross is blocked.
42’ Kaká gets on the end of Sutter’s rolling cross in the box but his turn-around attempt is stopped by Bono.
45’ Aja is shown a yellow card for a stiff challenge on Giovinco.
45+1’ Larin runs up the right wing with the ball, turns the corner and rifles it back across for Kaká but a duo of Reds is there for the stop. Bendik charges out of his area to clear a through ball.
45+2’ Kaká earns a free kick one yard from the end line and three from Toronto’s 18-yard box. The captain curls an in-swinger that is popped in the air by Michael Bradley and Toronto is off to the races. Giovinco cuts on Scott Sutter but the ball escapes.
45+3’ Kaká pokes a beautiful through ball for Johnson, who runs onto it in the box and blasts a shot off Bono for a corner. Victor Vázquez is shown a yellow card. Donny Toia smashes an attempt following a clearance from the box but it bounces out.
45+4’ After three minutes of added time, the referee ends the first half. Orlando City 0, Toronto FC 1.
Second Half
46’ Carlos Rivas enters the match in place of Servando Carrasco to start the half.
46’ Altidore gets it in behind, holds up and flicks it for Giovinco for the tap-in. Orlando City 0, Toronto FC 2.
50’ Giovinco floats a shot from distance that grazes the top netting on its way out.
52’ Barnes runs up the right wing and earns a corner. Carlos Rivas curls an in-swinger that is cleared out, but Sutter recovers and lays off for Rivas, who cracks a shot that can’t get through traffic.
54’ Barnes’ cheeky outside-of-the-foot attempt curls wide.
58’ Larin lays it off for Kaká with his back heel. The captain picks it up, sprints to the end line and turns the corner but his cross goes nowhere. Bendik makes a great 1-on-1 stop on Giovinco in the box.
61’ Toia makes a clutch interception on a cross intended for Giovinco in the six-yard box. Rafael Ramos enters the match in place of Scott Sutter.
62’ Jay Chapman enters the match in place of Victor Vazquez for Toronto.
63’ Kaká slides it in for Rivas, who gets on the end and directs it on frame, bouncing it off the far post and in. Orlando City 1, Toronto FC 2.
65’ Giovinco curls his free kick from 30 yards inside the near post. Orlando City 1, Toronto FC 3.
67’ Rivas’ first-time crack on Kaká’s cross whizzes just past the far post.
71’ Rivas catches up to a ball on the right wing and feeds it for Barnes, whose attempt earns a corner. Rivas curls it in but it is cleared out for a throw.
72’ Jordan Hamilton enters the match in place of Jozy Altidore for Toronto.
78’ Ramos works it up the right wing and feeds Larin but his shot goes well high.
79’ Richie Laryea enters the match in place of Antonio Nocerino. The match is paused for another water break.
88’ Bendik makes his best save of the night, sliding across to snag Hamilton’s tap-in.
90’ Kaká earns a corner. Rivas lofts it to the far edge of the box for Toia, whose volley sails.
90+5’ After four minutes of added time, the referee ends the match. Orlando City 1, Toronto FC 3.
Scoring Summary:
TOR - Jozy Altidore (Sebastian Giovinco) 18’
TOR - Sebastian Giovinco (Jozy Altidore, Victor Vázquez) 46’
ORL - Carlos Rivas (Kaká) 63’
TOR - Sebastian Giovinco 65’
Misconduct Summary:
TOR - Oyvind Alseth (Yellow Card) 12’
ORL - Jonathan Spector (Yellow Card) 23’
ORL - José Aja (Yellow Card) 45’
TOR - Victor Vázquez (Yellow Card) 45+4’
Lineups/Substitutions:
Orlando City SC - GK Joe Bendik, D Donny Toia, Jonathan Spector, José Aja, Scott Sutter (Rafael Ramos 61’), M Servando Carrasco (Carlos Rivas 46’), Antonio Nocerino (Richie Laryea 79’), ⓒ Kaká, Will Johnson, Giles Barnes, F Cyle Larin
Substitutes Not Used: GK Josh Saunders, D Léo Pereira, M Luis Gil, F Hadji Barry
Toronto FC - GK Alex Bono, D Jason Hernandez, Ashtone Morgan, Eriq Zavaleta, M Benoit Cheyrou (Drew Moor 46’), Victor Vázquez (Jay Chapman 62’), ⓒ Michael Bradley, Marco Delgado, Oyvind Alseth, F Sebastian Giovinco, Jozy Altidore (Jordan Hamilton 72’)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Clint Irwin, D Chris Mavinga, F Tsubasa Endoh, Ben Spencer
Details of the Game:
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Weather: Clear
Date: July 5, 2017
Attendance: 25,029
Stats:
Possession:
ORL - 61.2 %
TOR - 38.8 %
Shots:
ORL - 14
TOR - 11
Saves:
ORL - 3
TOR - 3
Fouls:
ORL - 11
TOR - 7
Corners:
ORL - 5
TOR - 1
