In a very special night, where Orlando City was honored. The lions defeated DC five goals to zero.
In the first half, DC put pressure on Orlando’s backline, and it seemed that they were going on the counter trying to look for Benteke. Orlando controlled DC very well and their counters were lethal for DC to handle. Dagur Dan and Facundo Torres on the right flank were too hot to handle for Santos and McVey and they were easily setting up plays for both Duncan McGuire and Martin Ojeda.
In the 19th minute, after a phenomenal assist by Dagur Dan, Martin Ojeda scored from distance for the lions. Dagur Dan overpowered and run past Santos and McVey as well dribbled past Tyler Miller and saw Ojeda completely open outside the box, and Ojeda threw a rocket and scored with an opened goal. The Wall erupted.
Orlando well deservingly so was up by one. Four minutes later, in the 23rd, the lions increased their goal count by two. Robin Jansson scored off a Wilder Cartagena assist. The Peruvian international, again took advantage of the spaces DC left on their right flank and crossed a ball perfectly to Robin Jansson who scored and was completely unmarked. After the second goal, Orlando kept pushing numbers forward and attempted to score a third one. And they did.
In the 41st minute, Martin Ojeda with a run through the left flank and a wonderful assist outside the box to Ivan Angulo and the Colombian threw another rocket from distance and scored the third for the lions. Every single missed opportunity or wasted chance since the beginning of the season, started to click and come to fruition for the lions.
First half stats:
At the start of the second half, the Lions focused on ball possession while D.C. concentrated on their solid defense to avoid conceding more goals. In the 48th minute, McGuire’s header was saved by Miller after an impressive cross from Ojeda. Torres then received a pass from Angulo in the 52nd minute, leading to several opportunities created by Cartagena and McGuire. Despite a few missed chances, Orlando remained dominant. In the 74th minute, Orlando scored their fourth goal with a precise cross from McGuire to Torres. McGuire noted a boost in confidence and creativity within the team due to successful training sessions, leading to improved attacking strategies in recent games.
After scoring their fifth goal in the 85th minute from a corner kick, Orlando’s control over the match was undeniable. The Lions maintained possession, shot accuracy, and defensive strength, outperforming D.C. on all fronts. Pareja emphasized the team’s growth and resemblance to their true potential in the post-match analysis. Orlando’s sudden offensive success, highlighted by 15 goals in their last five matches, has been a refreshing change from their earlier struggles.
Upcoming challenges await the Lions as they prepare to face the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium, where they have yet to secure a win.
