Orlando City Lose On The Road To D.C. United
For 65 minutes it looked like Orlando City Soccer would record a third win on the road in their inaugural MLS season. However, a crucial hamstring injury to Aurélien Collin on the 65 minute mark changed the impetus of the match and allowed D.C. United a glimmer of hope that they promptly seized upon.
It was a tough blow for Orlando who had completely dominated the first 45 minutes and looked well in control up until Collin’s injury. The game started well for Orlando as rookie Cyle Larin scored his third goal of the season with a neat clinical finish from the edge of the area on 11 minutes. The 20-year-old striker took advantage of some confusion in the D.C. United box to one touch the ball with his left foot before blasting home with his right into the top left for his second goal in two games.
Orlando weren’t content with sitting back and defending their lead though. They controlled possession and always looked a threat going forward. Rafael Ramos came close to matching Larin’s fantastic strike in the 34th minute as he took the ball out of his own half and got to the edge of the D.C. penalty box before cutting inside and blasting a left-footed shot just wide of the left hand post.
Half Time : D.C. United 0 Orlando City 1
Orlando remained in control in the early stages of the second half and rarely looked threatened by United until a cruel hamstring injury to star defender Aurélien Collin on 64 minutes. The injury would have a changing effect on the game as D.C. leveled the scoreline just six minutes later when defender Kofi Opare scored with a free header from Taylor Kemp’s cross. D.C. quickly gained in confidence and seized the momentum when Chris Rolfe neatly tucked away Jairo Arrieta’s cross into the box to put the home side ahead 2-1 with twelve minutes remaining.
D.C. United now moves into first place in the Eastern Conference with the home win.
“I don’t think that we deserved not to take anything from the game. But, we can’t keep killing ourselves,” said Head Coach Adrian Heath. “We shoot ourselves in the foot every week. If I’m being realistic, I thought we were the better team tonight. But, hey, it takes experience at times, and tonight we let ourselves down again with people not doing their job.”
