ORLANDO, Fla. (June 25, 2016) â Orlando City SC (4-3-8, 20 points) earned a thrilling, last-second victory Saturday night to defeat Toronto FC (5-6-4, 19 points) by a final score of 3-2. Kevin Molino set up goals by Cyle Larin and Adrian Winter before KakĂĄ sealed the victory with a penalty kick in the 10th minute of second-half stoppage time. The win extends Orlando Cityâs home-unbeaten streak to 15 games - the longest active streak in MLS.
âObviously another late, late show. Not sure how my tickerâs taking it all, but Iâm delighted for the players. It wouldâve been a travesty if we had not won the game. Overall, I thought we deserved to win the game,â Lions Head Coach Adrian Heath said. âI thought some of the [playersâ] performances, some of the effort and commitment that some of them did was fantastic. We got a result that I thought we deserved. As people say, they even themselves out. Weâve certainly earned that one.â
Heath was able to field one of his strongest lineups in several weeks, as 2015 Orlando City Playersâ Player of the Year Darwin CerĂŠn made his first start since May 15. The match also saw the return of captain KakĂĄ, who was injured while training with the Brazilian national team ahead of Copa AmĂŠrica Centenario.
The captain made his presence felt immediately, setting up Molinoâs pass to Larin for the opening goal in the fifth minute. KakĂĄ was dominant in the first half, controlling the run of play as the focal point of the Lionsâ attack. KakĂĄ finished with five shots.
His most important shot, however, came in the 10th minute of stoppage time. With the Lions pressuring to reclaim their lead, the referee awarded Orlando City a penalty kick after supersub JĂşlio Baptista was dragged down in the box. KakĂĄ fired the shot down the middle, off the crossbar and straight down into the goal, bouncing up into the top netting as it sent the 27,818 in attendance into a frenzy.
It was Cityâs third lead of the game and a dramatic ending to a riveting match. Adrian Winter, who Heath said âran a million milesâ on the night, looked like he won it for the Lions in the 83rd minute when he headed Kevin Molinoâs lofted cross into the back of the net after a great hustle play by Kevin Alston.
Alston ran down KakĂĄâs pass just inches from the end line as Toronto goalkeeper Alex Bono, who entered the match in the 70th minute after starting keeper Clint Irwin injured himself taking a goal kick, charged out to grab the bouncing ball. Bono couldnât handle it and Molino sprinted to the loose ball before chipping it into Winter, who headed into the back of the net.
Toronto appeared to steal the Lionsâ victory in the 90th minute when Sebastian Giovinco drove a low ball across the face of goal to Justin Morrow for the tap-in.
The Lions recaptured their lead and secured three points with their fifth stoppage-time goal of the season - the highest in MLS. Winterâs goal was the first Toronto conceded in the final 15 minutes this season.
Orlando City opened the scoring in the fifth minute when KakĂĄ found Molino on the left flank. On his first touch, Molino delivered a hard pass to Larin on the far post. The Ontario native fired a shot into the roof of the net for his team-leading eighth goal of the season. It was the first of Molinoâs two assists, which tied KakĂĄ for the team lead with five.
The match saw two water breaks - one in each half - due to the intense heat and humidity. Water breaks are observed if the wet bulb globe temperature exceeds 89.6 degrees.
Orlando City returns to action on Monday, July 4, when it visits FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium. Kickoff is set for 9 p.m. ET. The Lions return to Camping World Stadium just four days later on Friday, July 8, to host the Houston Dynamo for an 8 p.m. ET kickoff.
Tickets to all City home matches are available at OrlandoCitySC.com or by calling 855-ORL-CITY. Follow the latest Orlando City news and updates via Facebook, Twitter,Instagram and YouTube.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS:
First Half
2â Kevin Molino steals the ball on the left wing and works it to KakĂĄ. The captain gives it back to Molino, who finds Adrian Winter open in the box. Winterâs shot is blocked and Toronto clears.
5â Adrian Winter gives the ball to Kevin Molino on the edge of the box. With just one touch, Molino drives a cross to Cyle Larin on the far post, which the Canadian puts into the roof of the net. The goal extends Larinâs team lead to eight.
9â KakĂĄ rips a shot from 20 yards that is deflected out for a corner. KakĂĄâs corner service is cleared away to Darwin CerĂŠn, who drills a shot from distance just over the bar.
13â Sebastian Giovinco delivers a dangerous corner kick to the far post, but goalkeeper Joe Bendik does well to make the catch.
14â KakĂĄ makes a dashing run up the pitch with Kevin Molino and Cyle Larin to either side. Kaka dishes to Kevin Molino on the left, and the Trinidadian makes a touch past a charging Clint Irwin but is unable to keep the ball in play.
19â KakĂĄ makes another quick sprint up the field and feeds Cyle Larin on the edge of the box. Larin makes a slight touch to Adrian Winter, whose shot goes out for a corner.
27â The Lions continue controlling over 62 percent of possession while outshooting Toronto 5-1, with two shots on target to none.
29â The game is paused for a water break due to the wet bulb globe temperature exceeding 89.6 degrees. Play resumes in the 31st minute.
34â Cyle Larin steals the ball in the attacking third and gives it to Adrian Winter, who makes a nice run towards the box before chipping it in for KakĂĄ, but goalkeeper Clint Irwin comes out to make the catch.
37â Brek Shea launches a ball up to Cyle Larin, who catches up to it in the box. Larin makes a centering pass for KakĂĄ, who fires a shot through his defenderâs legs, forcing Clint Irwin to parry it out for a corner.
38â KakĂĄ finds Cyle Larin, who fires a shot off the post from the edge of the box.
41â KakĂĄ steals the ball on the left wing and drives toward the box. The Brazilian fires a left-footed shot from 19 yards out that curls just wide of the post.
42â Joe Bendik thwarts another Toronto opportunity by coming out to catch Sebastian Giovincoâs corner service yet again.
45 (+3)â The referee indicates the end of the first half after three minutes of stoppage time with Orlando City leading 1-0. The Lions are outshooting Toronto 10-5 and are controlling over 56% of possession.
Second Half:
47â Jordan Hamilton evens the score when he receives Jonathan Osorioâs pass and takes a left-footed shot past Joe Bendik from 10 yards out.
50â Joe Bendik dives to his right to make a nice save on a shot from Sebastian Giovinco.
51â Adrian Winter flicks a clever ball to Kevin Molino, who fires a shot just wide of the corner.
56â Cristian Higuita dishes to Kevin Molino 25 yards from goal. Molino takes a touch and fires a right-footed shot that Clint Irwin parries away for a corner.
58â Kevin Molino drives a ball into KakĂĄ, who flicks it to Cristian Higuita with one touch. Higuitaâs centering pass is cleared away.
66â Torontoâs Jonathan Osorio makes a hard foul on Cristian Higuita 21 yards from goal. KakĂĄ takes the direct free kick and whizzes it just wide of the near post, grazing the outside netting on its way out of play.
70â Toronto goalkeeper Alex Bono enters the match in place of Clint Irwin, who injured his right leg while taking a goal kick.
75â Kevin Molino makes a nice move up the left wing to find Adrian Winter in the box. The Swiss winger chests the pass down to Cyle Larin, who fires a first-time shot that is blocked away.
78â The game is paused for a water break. During the break, JĂşlio Baptista enters the game in place of Cyle Larin. It is Baptistaâs 10th appearance of the season and his fifth consecutive game entering as a sub. Larin finishes with one goal on three shots.
83â Kevin Alston gets a pass down the right side of the box, which goalkeeper Alex Bono canât handle. Kevin Molino picks up the loose ball and lofts it into Adrian Winter in the middle of the box. Winter heads the ball into the empty net for the go-ahead goal. It is Winterâs third goal of the season and Molinoâs second assist of the game, tying KakĂĄ for the team lead with five.
90â Justin Morrow knocks in Sebastian Giovincoâs cross to tie the match at two. The referee indicates eight minutes of stoppage time.
90 (+4)â Adrian Winter gets a pass from Brek Shea just outside the box. Winter takes a touch and fires a shot that is blocked before rolling to Alex Bono.
90 (+9)â The referee awards Orlando City a penalty kick after JĂşlio Baptista is dragged down in the box. Josh Williams is assessed a straight red card.
90 (+10)â KakĂĄ fires the penalty kick straight down the middle off the crossbar and in to give Orlando City a 3-2 lead.
90 (+11)â After eleven minutes of added time, the referee ends the match. Orlando City wins a dramatic game 3-2.
Scoring Summary:
ORL - Cyle Larin (Kevin Molino) 5â
TOR - Jordan Hamilton (Jonathan Osorio) 47â
ORL - Adrian Winter (Kevin Molino) 83â
TOR - Justin Morrow (Sebastian Giovinco) 90â
ORL - KakĂĄ (PK) 90 (+10)â
Misconduct Summary:
ORL - David Mateos (Yellow Card) 32â
TOR - Jonathan Osorio (Yellow Card) 66â
TOR - Josh Williams (Red Card) 90 (+9)â
Lineups/Substitutions:
Orlando City SC - GK Joe Bendik, D Kevin Alston, David Mateos, Tommy Redding, Brek Shea, M Darwin CerĂŠn, Cristian Higuita, Kevin Molino (Servando Carrasco 86â), Adrian Winter, F Cyle Larin (JĂşlio Baptista 79â), KakĂĄ
Substitutes Not Used: GK Earl Edwards Jr., D Rafael Ramos, Luke Boden, M Antonio Nocerino, F Carlos Rivas
Toronto FC - GK Clint Irwin (Alex Bono 70â), D Nick Hagglund, Drew Moor, Josh Williams, Justin Morrow, M Benoit Cheyrou (Mo Babouli 86â), Will Johnson (Marky Delgado 46â), Jonathan Osorio, F Jordan Hamilton, Sebastian Giovinco, Tsubasa Endoh
Substitutes Not Used: D Eriq Zavaleta, Mark Bloom, M Jay Chapman
Details of the Game
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Weather: Hot
June 25, 2016
Attendance: 27,818
Stats:
Possession:
ORL - 60.1 %
TOR - 39.9 %
Shots:
ORL - 17
TOR - 12
Saves:
ORL - 2
TOR - 3
Fouls:
ORL - 10|
TOR - 12
Corners:
ORL - 7
TOR - 5