Loud & Proud Orlando

Big thanks to Orlando City Communications and USA Today Sports for the pictures shown in this editorial.

By: Luis Carlos Pineda

Orlando City obtained a massive win against Charlotte FC, bringing the lions back into playoff contention picture on 5th place in the standings. Ercan Kara and Tesho Akindele scored. Gaines scored for Charlotte. 

In the first half, the lions controlled the possession of the ball and forced set pieces. They did not capitalized on any of the chances created. Antonio Carlos and Pedro Gallese were Orlando’s best players defensively. Charlotte had a hard time breaking Orlando defensively. Orlando City attempted attacking plays unsuccessfully on the right flank through Ruan. Ruan turned over the ball and was not able to connect with Orlando’s forwards. Charlotte on the other hand, was close to score, in the 30th minute, through a great shot from distance that was superbly saved by Pedro Gallese. Orlando in the first half finished with more possession, more passing accuracy and more shots on target than Charlotte. Orlando seemed tactically disciplined in the first half and they dominated the tempo of the attacking plays. 

In the second half, Charlotte upped their intensity and started to create some chances in attack. But Orlando scored the first goal of the night. In the 62nd minute, Urso was able to find Torres and the Uruguayan International, sent a cross to Kara, who finished the ball superbly past Kahlina, and made it 1-0 Orlando. It was Kara’s eighth goal of the season.  In the 70th minute, Kahlina saved Charlotte after a free kick rocket from Mauricio Pereyra. Orlando’s momentum withered down and tired legs started to show. Pareja subbed in Benji Michel, Tesho Akindele, Wilder Cartagena and Gioacchini, and it gave the lions the opportunity to revitalize the mid and continued to maintain their momentum from the first half. In the 89th minute, Tesho Akindele scored and sealed the Lions’ win over Charlotte making it 2-1. Despite Charlotte being more dominant in the second half, Pareja subbed in the right players at the right time and was able to obtain a massive dub away.  

Tesho Akindele in post press conference said: “I feel we’re coming to our identity, it all starts with hard work, sometimes you play pretty and sometimes you don’t, everyone today was working and that’s what it takes to win this league. 

Oscar Pareja is post press conference said: “ Jake (Mulraney) allowed us to find Ercan in the area. I am happy for Jake.” “An excellent game for us to show the character of the players, an excellent game to prove that these guys are working hard and the game would reward them. What I saw in the first half, the football that the team played in the first half was very good. We dominated the tempo, we created chances, we avoided [letting Charlotte] create chances, we made superiorities in the spaces that we needed. I saw a lot of discipline, tactically, especially with the ball with these players. Second half we understood that, being away, sometimes you just want to hold the game higher but it’s normal that the reaction of the other team is aggressive and cost us that tie goal. But, I noticed that our reaction after that goal was very professional and calm, and that made us score the second one which is something that hasn’t happened much this season. So we’re proud.”

Orlando City’s next game is at Exploria Stadium against NYCFC on Sunday August 28th. 

Vamos Orlando!