Orlando City had a convincing win against the Tampa Bay Rowdies at Al Lang Stadium, demonstrating their offensive strength by scoring multiple goals. Gustavo Caraballo played a key role by scoring two goals, with contributions also coming from Ramiro Enrique, Duncan McGuire, and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson. The Lions’ solid defense prevented the Rowdies from scoring, extending their streak of not conceding a goal in six consecutive games. In this game, Javier Otero was in goal, supported by Pedro Gallese on the bench.
Initially, Orlando City struggled to find their rhythm but once they scored, they dominated the first half with an aggressive attack. The game began with some rough play from the Rowdies, leading to a booking for Freeman after a challenge that could have been a yellow card. Orlando had a chance to score with Caraballo’s shot, which was blocked, with the players believing it was a handball. Despite their protests, the referee allowed play to continue. In the 13th minute, Daniel Crisostomo received a yellow card for a challenge on Ojeda, while a kick on Araujo went unnoticed by the referee.
Despite some missed opportunities, the Lions continued to press, with Enrique’s shot being blocked, resulting in a corner kick. Attempts from players like Arteaga and Campisi kept pressure on the Rowdies, while Tampa Bay’s shots were stopped by Orlando’s defense. Caraballo scored twice, increasing Orlando City’s lead, but a mistake from Otero led to an own goal. The Rowdies appealed for a penalty, which was denied by the referee.
Enrique increased Orlando’s lead with a third goal, wrapping up a dominant first half for the Lions. As the first half ended, Orlando created more scoring chances, leading Pareja to make strategic substitutions. The team maintained their strong performance in the second half, adding more goals and securing a 5-0 win over Tampa Bay.
With this victory, Orlando City advances to the Round of 16 in the USL Championship, where they will face Nashville SC in a future match. Additionally, the Lions will host a game against the New England Revolution on Saturday.
