KANSAS CITY, Mo. (May 15, 2016) – Orlando City SC (2-3-5, 11 points) fell 2-1 to Sporting Kansas City (5-6-2, 17 points) in its first Western Conference road trip of the season; although, the Lions took the lead early in the second half with an own goal from Jimmy Medranda generated by the Lions’ offensive threat when controlling possession.
“We knew the way they were going to play. They’re a team that loves to have the majority of possession but they leave themselves really open to the counter attack,” said Lions assistant coach Mark Watson, who led the team along with Bobby Murphy in place of a suspended Adrian Heath. “I thought the first half was pretty good. They had the majority of possession, were more dangerous, but I thought we defended well and when it was necessary had four or five really good opportunities on the counter attack. Some of the chances going forward were good. We were dangerous at times. We’re disappointed but the result was fair.”
The Lions kept their goal unbeaten for most of the game, denying Kansas City’s chances and creating opportunities mainly from the left side of the pitch, with a lively Brek Shea that looked dangerous down the flank before coming off for Luke Boden in the 65th.
However, Boden, who made his return to the squad for the first time since April 17 as a result of a hamstring injury, continued the offensive rhythm and created a corner two minutes after entering the game, resulting in Orlando’s opening goal. City captain Kaká delivered a corner service to the far post for David Mateos, and the Spanish defender’s header crossed the line after a mad scramble in front that ended in Medranda’s own goal.
Lions goalkeeper Joe Bendik recorded a career high 10 saves, the most in Orlando City’s Major League Soccer history, including spectacular stops in the early minutes of the second half to deny Sporting, who entered the game with MLS’s longest active goal-less streak. In the 74th minute, Sporting’s Benny Feilhaber chipped a ball over the Lions’ back line for Jacob Peterson, who headed it across to Dom Dwyer for the equalizer. Peterson gave Kansas City the lead five minutes later after he headed in Roger Espinoza’s cross.
The Lions play the first of three matchups in a span of nine days when they host the Montreal Impact at Camping World Stadium on May 21. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. E.T. Tickets to all City home matches are available at OrlandoCitySC.com or by calling 855-ORL-CITY.
First Half
3’ Graham Zusi curls a shot from the edge of the box off the crossbar after a slight touch from former Lion Dom Dwyer.
7’ Following good control in the midfield, Kaká feeds a threatening through ball to Brek Shea up the left wing. Shea takes a left-footed shot from 12 yards out that misses the right post by just inches.
13’ Roger Espinoza makes a good run up the right wing and crosses into a wide-open Graham Zusi in the area. Zusi is unable to control the ball and it is eventually cleared away by Rafael Ramos.
21’ Kaká works a ball to Brek Shea inside the area, who delivers a nice cross to Cyle Larin on the far post, but Larin is unable to get a head on it.
28’ Brad Davis picks up a loose ball and makes a dashing run before ripping a shot from inside the box, which is caught by goalkeeper Joe Bendik.
30’ Kaká lets a ball slip through to Kevin Molino in midfield, who passes it up to Cyle Larin. Larin dribbles into the box, but is unable to get a shot off.
34’ Dom Dwyer makes a good run in from the right wing and crosses it through the middle of the area. Jimmy Medranda steps into the shot from outside the box and sails it over the bar.
38’ Kaká dribbles the ball up the field as the Lions join on the rush. Kaká slips a through ball into a sprinting Brek Shea, but his cross on the line is unable to find Cyle Larin.
41’ Brek Shea and Kevin Molino work a good combination play up the left wing, eventually getting Shea in behind the Sporting back line. Shea delivers a cross on the ground that bounces around before dangerously getting cleared away.
42’ Antonio Nocerino gets the ball on the left wing and passes it behind to a trailing Kevin Molino on the edge of the box. Molino’s shot is blocked and the rebound is caught by goalkeeper Tim Melia.
43’ Dom Dwyer appears to break through for the game’s first goal after firing a shot in off the crossbar after getting a pass from Benny Feilhaber but Dwyer is ruled offsides.
44’ Antonio Nocerino gets a clever back-heel pass from Kevin Molino in the box. Nocerino tries to find Cyle Larin in the box but the pass doesn’t get through.
45’ Joe Bendik and Tommy Redding make two huge saves to keep the game level. Dom Dwyer gets a pass in alone but Bendik sprawls to cut down the angle as Tommy Redding clears the ball off the line. Then Bendik comes up with a diving save on a shot from Graham Zusi from the edge of the area.
Second Half:
54’ Saad Abdul-Salaam’s cross in from the right wing is dealt with well by Tommy Redding, who heads it away from the near post. Roger Espinoza dove to get a head on the ensuing cross, but Bendik easily caught his attempt.
56’ Roger Espinoza’s cross from the right wing finds Dom Dwyer 10 yards from goal. Dwyer rips a shot on the volley but Rafael Ramos is able to block it away. On the ensuing corner, Abdul Salaam’s header is saved by Joe Bendik off the post before making another save off Espinoza.
57’ Dom Dwyer picks up a pass from Jimmy Medranda and sprints at the Lions back line. His shot glances off the post.
58’ Roger Espinoza gives a ball in to Dom Dwyer, who fires a shot from the penalty spot but Joe Bendik is perfectly positioned to make the save.
61’ Roger Espinoza gives another cross from the right wing into Benny Feilhaber, whose leaping header is caught by Joe Bendik.
61’ Brek Shea gets a pass from Cyle Larin on the edge of the box. Shea fires a left-footed shot that whizzes past the far post.
65’ Luke Boden enters the game for Brek Shea. It is Boden’s first appearance since playing a full 90 minutes in Philadelphia on April 8.
66’ Orlando opens the scoring off a Kaká corner kick. Kaká’s corner service finds David Mateos on the far post, who heads it back into the middle. Cyle Larin is able to put it in the net off Jimmy Medranda after a scramble on the goal line.
71’ Júlio Baptista enters the game in place of Cyle Larin. It is Baptista’s fifth appearance this season.
72’ Joe Bendik makes a leaping save off a Graham Zusi shot from inside the area. Zusi finds Roger Espinoza inside the six-yard box but his header is cleared off the line by Rafael Ramos on the near post.
74’ Sporting ties the match off a Dom Dwyer header. Benny Feilhaber chips it over the line for Jacob Peterson, who heads it across to Dwyer. Dwyer heads it up and over Joe Bendik and into the net on their 29th shot of the match.
79’ Saad Abdul-Salaam works the ball from the corner flag to Roger Espinoza, who finds Jacob Peterson on the six-yard box. Peterson heads it past Bendik for Sporting’s second goal.
86’ Darwin Cerén is subbed off after a dangerous challenge by Nuno Coelho injures his left ankle. He is replaced by Carlos Rivas, who makes his seventh appearance of 2016. Benny Feilhaber is also replaced by Lawrence Olum.
90’ Kaká delivers a corner service into the box, but it is cleared away. Antonio Nocerino shoots the clearance off the volley, but it goes just high of the bar.
Scoring Summary:
ORL - Jimmy Medranda (Own Goal) 67’
SKC - Dom Dwyer (Jacob Peterson) 74’
SKC - Jacob Peterson (Roger Espinoza) 79’
Misconduct Summary:
SKC - Jimmy Medranda (Yellow Card) 49’
SKC - Nuno Coelho (Yellow Card) 84’
Lineups/Substitutions:
Orlando City SC - GK Joe Bendik, D Rafael Ramos, David Mateos, Tommy Redding, Brek Shea (Luke Boden 65’), M Darwin Cerén (Carlos Rivas 86’), Servando Carrasco, Antonio Nocerino, Kaká, Kevin Molino, F Cyle Larin (Júlio Baptista 71’)
Substitutes: GK Earl Edwards Jr., D Kevin Alston, M Harrison Heath, Adrian Winter
Sporting Kansas City - GK Tim Melia, D Jimmy Medranda, Matt Besler, Nuno Coelho, Saad Abdul-Salaam, M Roger Espinoza (Paulo Nagamura 90+3’), Soni Mustivar, Benny Feilhaber (Lawrence Olum 86’), F Graham Zusi, Dom Dwyer, Brad Davis (Jacob Peterson 69’)
Substitutes: GK Alec Kann, D Chance Myers, F Diego Rubio, Connor Hallisey
Details of the Game
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Weather: Sunny
May 15, 2016
Attendance: 19,080
Stats:
Possession:
ORL - 45.5%
SKC - 54.5%
Fouls:
ORL - 6
SKC - 10
Shots:
ORL - 7
SKC - 34
Saves:
ORL - 10
SKC - 0
Corners:
ORL - 4
SKC – 6
