Sometimes, a gif is worth a thousand words.
After missing nearly the entire 2021 season following an early injury, Alexandre Pato made his triumphant return to the Orlando City starting XI on Sunday, scoring the Lions’ first goal of 2022 and winning Heineken Man of the Match honors.
Pato finished off a gorgeous back-to-front sequence from Orlando that
MLSSoccer.com’s Matt Doyle called “the prettiest team goal of the weekend.” It took 13 passes from Pedro Gallese’s initial roll-out to Ruan’s fizzer through the six to find Pato, who took a terrific first touch and calmly deposited the ball in the back of the net.
Here it is in all its glory:
Pato was excellent throughout the match. He led all Orlando players with three shots, two shots on target, two key passes and a game-high 0.94 expected goals generated, more than the entire CF Montréal side combined. He completed 7 of his 10 passes in the final third and even chipped in a couple clearances on the defensive end.
Best of all, he’s now officially in the record books with his first Orlando City goal. Plus, his Heineken Man of the Match trophy can be assured of a safe ride home.
