Orlando City crashes to first home defeat against New York City
Two goals from David Villa and another from Rodney Wallace saw New York City FC beat Orlando City 3-0 on Sunday night to extend its unbeaten streak to four games. The Lions, meanwhile, have gone backwards since their bright start to the season that saw them top the Eastern Conference for a while. Failure to win any of their last five games has seen the team slip to fourth place and some worrying signs are emerging for the men in purple leaving Head Coach Jason Kreis with some pondering to do.
“Grave, grave disappointment to lose our first game in front of our home fans,” said Kreis. “I thought the fans were excellent again tonight. The atmosphere in the crowd was terrific, the atmosphere in the stadium was terrific, energy level, everything was good. I think at the beginning of the game I really felt like things were going to go in a really positive direction for us and then the penalty decision was made. I think that took some air out of us and then I thought we were doing okay and then the second goal comes and I think it takes some more air out of us. It’s one of those games where I feel like goals change games. It’s very cliché but I really felt like that was where we were at tonight. Then we had an opportunity to score our goal, which I think could’ve changed the game in our direction, and we didn’t take it. All in all it wasn’t our night. I’m not going to stand here and say anything crass or disrespectful as if we were the better team because we weren’t. New York City was very good tonight and deserved to win.”
The visitors took the lead in the 14th minute as Orlando failed to clear a corner properly. The ball found Wallace unmarked on the right hand side of the penalty box and his cross bounced off Kaká’s outstretched arm to give New York a penalty kick. Forward David Villa fired his shot low to the right hand corner to beat Lion’s goalkeeper Joe Bendik and give New York the lead.
Worse was to come for Orlando as NYCFC extended their lead in the 35th minute. From a NYCFC throw in in their own half, Kaká allowed Alexander Ring to stroll free in midfield and he found Jack Harrison on the right hand side. Harrison then laid the ball into the path of Ethan White on the overlap and he fired over a low cross across the six yard box for Wallace to convert on the far post.
Half Time: Orlando 0 New York City FC 2
The second half started with New York playing the better controlled football and Kreis made a double substitution in the 60th minute as Kaká and Nocerino were pulled off to be replaced by Giles Barnes and Matías Pérez García. The change seemed to work as Orlando won a penalty three minutes later when Scott Sutter was pulled down inside the box. Cyle Larin stepped up to take the spot kick and promptly smashed the ball against the right hand upright and away to safety.
It seemed it wasn’t to be Orlando’s night and New York sealed the game in the 83rd minute as Maximiliano Moralez played a fine chipped ball to Villa’s clever run. The Spanish international made no mistake in rounding Bendik before stroking the ball home for his second goal of the night.
It was a deserved victory for New York City and after the game Head Coach Patrick Viera (pictured above) said “I am of course satisfied. Not just of the win, that is very important but I was very pleased with the way we dictated and controlled the game. From the start to the end, we showed a lot of character tonight and I’m really proud of the players. It wasn’t easy because traveling in the last two games where we didn’t get the result that we wanted. Today we came over here with a lot of personality, a lot of desire to compete and that we fully deserve to go back to New York City with three points.”
As for Orlando, they will now lick their wounds before their next game which is an important match up with former Head Coach Adrian Heath’s Minnesota United side. The Lions head to Minnesota for an 8pm EST kick off at TCF Bank Stadium.
Lineups/Substitutions:
Orlando City SC – GK Joe Bendik, D Donny Toia, Léo Pereira, Jonathan Spector, Scott Sutter, M Antonio Nocerino (Matías Pérez García 60’), Will Johnson, Cristian Higuita (Luis Gil 75’), Ⓒ Kaká (Giles Barnes 60’), F Carlos Rivas, Cyle Larin
Substitutes Not Used: GK Josh Saunders, D PC, José Aja, M Servando Carrasco
New York City FC – GK Sean Johnson, D Ben Sweat, Alexander Callens, Maxime Chanot, Ethan White (RJ Allen 37’), M Alex Ring, Mikey Lopez, Maxi Morález, F Jack Harrison (Miguel Camargo 80’), David Villa (Thomas McNamara 86’), Rodney Wallace
Substitutes Not Used: GK Eirik Johansen D Frederic Brillant, M John Stertzer, F Sean Okoli
Attendance: 25,527
More photos at www.FloridaLeisurePhotography.com
