ORLANDO, Fla. (September 17, 2016) – In its first match back from a two game, coast-to-coast road trip, Orlando City SC (7-9-13, 34 points) controlled the run of play and dominated scoring chances against Columbus Crew SC (6-11-11, 29 points), but ultimately fell 4-1. Cyle Larin scored his 14th goal of the season, ending Columbus’ bid for a shutout.
“There’s going to be nights where things don’t particularly go your way. Even in the first half we had several really good looks at goal. If one of those goes our way, maybe we’re getting a little bit of momentum and continuing to catch somewhat of a positive result,” Lions Head Coach Jason Kreis said. “I’m pleased with the way the team responded in the second half. It would’ve been very easy to close up shop and everybody rest themselves for next week and they didn’t do that. They pushed on and fought. I think we can all be proud of that.”
Columbus got out to an early lead in the sixth minute when Ethan Finlay got on the end of Ola Kamara’s through ball. The two connected twice more, first in the 44th minute when Finlay found Kamara and again in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
The Lions pushed hard to earn points in front of over 30,000 purple clad fans and out-chanced Crew SC by a wide margin. City controlled over 55 percent of possession and outshot Columbus 20-8 while completing nearly 150 passes in the attacking third.
Larin got the Lions on the board in the 79th minute when he ripped a shot from distance into the back of the net. Servando Carrasco held stopped a Columbus clearance as the Lions out on steady pressure and passed up to Larin. The young Canadian turned and fired a right-footed shot that flew past Columbus goalkeeper Steve Clark.
The match featured the return of forward Pedro Ribeiro to the 18-man lineup after the Brazilian underwent back surgery this summer. Joining him was right back Rafael Ramos, who worked his way back from a hamstring injury. Ramos played two matches with Orlando City B in August to regain match fitness.
It also saw midfielder Tony Rocha make his second MLS start. The 22-year-old played well in the first half, keeping several attacking spells alive while displaying strong defensive prowess in the holding midfield. Left back Mikey Ambrose entered the match in the second half and immediately made himself a threat going forward. The two were signed to MLS contracts from OCB on Aug. 4.
The Lions head to Washington, D.C. for a critical match against D.C. United on Sunday, Sept. 24. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET. City then visits Toronto FC on Wednesday, Sept. 28 before returning to Camping World Stadium to host the Montreal Impact on Sunday, Oct. 2. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS:
First Half
6’ Joe Bendik lands a powerful punch on a Columbus corner delivery for the clearance.
6’ Ethan Finlay taps home a pass from Ola Kamara for the opening goal.
9’ Kevin Molino lofts a ball for Cyle Larin, who runs onto it down the right wing and centers the ball for a corner kick.
12’ Matías Pérez García flips the play and gets it to Kaká on the left wing. The Brazilian dribbles into the box and curls a shot just wide of the far post.
13’ Pérez García drills a shot from 25 yards out that Steve Clark catches.
18’ Molino fires a right-footed shot from distance that nearly bounces its way to the far post. Larin quickly closes in on Clark for the rebound.
21’ Bendik quickly charges out to swallow a Columbus through ball on the edge of the area.
22’ Tommy Redding heroically dives in front of a cross through the box to clear it away for a corner before Ola Kamara can tap it home.
22’ Seb Hines inadvertently knocks a corner kick into his own goal.
30’ Kevin Alston lofts a ball into the box that Molino acrobatically flicks over the target.
37’ Kaká gets a pass from Molino and one-touches a header to Seb Hines, whose header is caught by Clark.
38’ Bendik makes a good save on a powerful shot from Mohammed Saeid from inside the box.
38’ Kaká flicks a ball to Perez Garcia on the rush. The Argentinian rips a shot that is partially blocked on its way to goal.
42’ Perez Garcia drives a left-footed corner into the box for Hines but Clark snatches it out of the air.
44’ Kamara and Finlay connect again to make it 3-0.
45’ After zero minutes of added time, the referee ends the first half. Orlando City 0, Columbus Crew 3.
Second Half:
46’ Mikey Ambrose and Carlos Rivas enter the match in place of Luke Boden and Tony Rocha, respectively.
46’ Alston drills a cross into the box that is barely out of the reach of Rivas.
50’ Pérez García drives another corner to Hines, whose header is blocked in front. Appeals for a handball are made but the referee rules play on.
60’ Pérez García finds Kaká in the box. The Brazilian quickly fires a shot that forces Clark into a diving save.
62’ Rivas dribbles into the final third and rips a left-footed shot that goes wide of the goal.
63’ Pérez García floats a free kick from the right wing in for Hines, whose header grazes the post.
64’ Larin catches up to a long ball on the end line and passes back across the face of goal for a streaking Rivas but the ball is just out of his reach.
68’ Brek Shea enters the match in place of Pérez García.
70’ Kaká wins a battle for a loose ball in the box, drives to goal and nearly chips it over Clark.
74’ Shea does well on the right wing to earn another corner.
76’ Rivas drives an in-swinging corner kick to the far post where Kevin Alston floats a header over the bar.
77’ Former Lion Corey Ashe enters the match for Columbus in place of Hector Jimenez.
79’ Larin curls a shot to the near post after Servando Carrasco does well to recover a loose ball. Carrasco works it up to Larin, who turns and fires a shot past Clark.
84’ Rivas fires a strike just over the bar.
90 +5’ Kamara chips it past to make it 4-1.
90 +6’ After six minutes of added time, the referee indicates the end of the match. Orlando City 1 Columbus Crew 4.
Scoring Summary:
CLB - Ethan Finlay (Ola Kamara) 6’
CLB - Seb Hines (Own Goal) 22’
CLB - Ola Kamara (Ethan Finlay) 44’
ORL - Cyle Larin (Servando Carrasco) 79’
CLB - Ola Kamara (Ethan Finlay) 90 (+5)’
Misconduct Summary:
ORL - Carlos Rivas (Yellow Card) 49’
ORL - Matías Pérez García (Yellow Card) 57’
ORL - Mikey Ambrose (Yellow Card) 60’
CLB - Gaston Sauro (Yellow Card) 62’
Lineups/Substitutions:
Orlando City SC - GK Joe Bendik, D Luke Boden (Mikey Ambrose 46’), Tommy Redding, Seb Hines, Kevin Alston, M Tony Rocha (Carlos Rivas 46’), Servando Carrasco, Matías Pérez García (Brek Shea 68’), Kevin Molino, F Kaká, Cyle Larin
Substitutes Not Used: GK Earl Edwards Jr., D Rafael Ramos, M Pedro Ribeiro, F Júlio Baptista
Columbus Crew SC - GK Steve Clark, D Hector Jimenez (Corey Ashe 77’), Gaston Sauro, Michael Parkhurst, Harrison Afful, M Mohammed Saeid, Nicolai Naess (Rodrigo Saravia 93’) Dilly Duka (Adam Jahn 68’), Ethan Finlay, Justin Meram, F Ola Kamara
Substitutes Not Used: GK Brad Stuver, D Chad Barson, Waylon Francis, Cristian Martinez
Details of the Game:
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Weather: Cloudy
Date: September 17, 2016
Attendance: 30,218
Stats:
Possession:
ORL - 55.2 %
CLB - 44.8 %
Shots:
ORL - 20
CLB - 8
Saves:
ORL - 1
CLB - 7
Fouls:
ORL - 7
CLB - 11
Corners:
ORL - 7
CLB - 3
