Thank you to Orlando City Communications for all the pictures in this editorial.
By: Luis Carlos Pineda
Orlando City dominated attacking chances in the first half. Great performance by Urso, Mulraney (first start for Orlando), Moutinho. Orlando’s wingers kept looking for the Austrian striker Ercan Kara but he did not seem to connect with them. Kara was slow in transition and held up a lot of the attacking counters for Orlando. Dallas attempted to break Orlando’s backline but they were met by a solid Robin Jansson that neutralized many of Ferreira’s chances. 15 minutes in, Joao Moutinho attempted a great counter of the left flank and dismissed a Dallas defender with a cheeky play. Unfortunately, a lot of the chances for Orlando City did not connect, but they were closer to open the score. Orlando City failed to finish the play and the mid started to turnover the ball unnecessarily. Dallas then started to go on the counter attack play, something that they can execute perfectly because they have dangerous wingers and strikers. In the 45th minute, Mauricio Pereyra shot a rocket towards goal and Paes saved Dallas. Three minutes later, off a set piece executed by Mauricio Pereyra, Ercan Kara flicked the ball back and Paes couldn’t do much to stop the trajectory of the ball and scored a true GOLAZO. The Wall erupted. Orlando City was winning 1-0 at the half.
In the second half, Orlando City came out with the same level of intensity as they did the first. Orlando had opportunities to score with Ruan, Perea, Jansson and even Ercan Kara that dared to do a bicycle kick in the box. Orlando was winning fouls back and forth but the set piece execution was subpar to say the least. In the 67th minute, Perea turned over the ball and as it was mentioned at the beginning of this editorial, Dallas strength was the counter play, Jara dribbled past Ruan found Paul Arriola and, the USMNT striker, beat Gallese. Dallas leveled the game. In the 70th minute, Jara dribbled past Kyle Smith , got past Orlando’s backline and shot a banger past Gallese and scored the 2-1 for Dallas. Orlando’s momentum withered away and It was Dallas’ night at that point. In the 78th minute, off a corner kick executed by Alexandre Pato, Ercan Kara had the chance to level things up but the Austrian headed the ball completely wide. Gallese had a tremendous save right after as well. Ferreira shot a rocket from distance and “El Pulpo” was there to deny him. In the 84th minute, Dallas put the nail in the coffin. Dallas again on the counter, Arriola ended up carrying the ball towards the left flank and shot a rocket and beat Pedro Gallese. “El Pulpo” on this one he could’ve done more, nine times out of ten he saves those shots, this time however Arriola got the best of him. The lions lost this game because they were not able to stop the turnovers and also the chances they created, they did not capitalized on any of them except on Kara’s goal. Also, Orlando City is losing too many games at home more than in any other season, 17,380 fans came and supported but unfortunately it was again a negative result for them.
Oscar Pareja on post press conference mentioned: “Well, first is understanding that the boys did a great effort today. Until [Dallas] scored the first goal, I thought we had a very good game and then lack of concentration in a couple of plays were. First one, on the first goal, we had the ball and then we gave it away and allowed something that Dallas knows how to do – just counter and have players in front [that are] dynamic. And then we conceded that equalizer that hurt us and then our reaction was not right, then we conceded a [third] goal as well. Overall I thought we fought, we pushed. A result that we don’t want but we have to accept because of the lack of concentration.”
Orlando City heads off a well deserved break and will resume their winning ways on June 15th when they face the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium.
Vamos Orlando!
