ORLANDO, Fla. (July 8, 2016) – Orlando City SC (4-4-9, 21 points) dominated possession Friday against the Houston Dynamo (4-8-6, 18 points), but finished with 0-0 draw. City’s backline earned its second clean sheet of the season to extend the team’s Major League Soccer (MLS) home-unbeaten streak to 16 games, the longest active streak in the Eastern Conference.
The match was the first with interim head coach Bobby Murphy at the helm after the Club amicably parted ways with Adrian Heath and assistant Mark Watson earlier this week. Orlando City B coach Anthony Pulis also joined the first team technical staff as an assistant coach.
“In light of the events of the last couple days, I think there was a bit of an edginess to the guys. They wanted to do well,” Murphy said. “I told [the players] this in the locker room: right now we’re above the red line and we got our first clean sheet since Game 3 in New York. Those are two really positive things that we can hang on to going into this busy stretch the next couple of weeks.”
Bendik made three saves to earn his 11th career shutout. The Marietta, Ga., native made a strong diving stop in the 21st minute and was kept relatively unfazed thanks to the strong play of the Lions’ back line. David Mateos made his third consecutive start.
Orlando City controlled the run of play from start to finish, dominating well over 62 percent of possession. The Lions completed 516 passes - over 200 more than the Dynamo - and finished with an 84 percent pass completion rate.
City, however, couldn’t find the final touch to get the ball into the back of the net. Cyle Larin had a strong opportunity in the 12th minute, but fired an off-footed shot inches wide of the far post. Then at the beginning of the second half, Luke Boden found defender Seb Hines in the box, but the Hines’ header flew just over the bar. Kevin Molino made a great run into the box and tried chipping Houston goalkeeper Tyler Deric in the 50th minute, but Deric charged forward and got just enough on it to force it over.
The Lions head out on a three-game road trip beginning Wednesday, July 13, at the New York Red Bulls. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET. Following that match, City heads to Vancouver to take on the Whitecaps on Saturday, July 16, before heading to Columbus on Saturday, July 23. The Lions return to Camping World Stadium on Sunday, July 31, when they host the New England Revolution. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.
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
1’ Kevin Molino sprints onto David Mateos’ long ball and earns a corner kick. Harrison Heath delivers the ball to Molino, who earns another corner.
12’ Brek Shea earns Orlando’s third corner of the match. Luke Boden serves an out-swinging ball to Cyle Larin near the penalty spot. The Canadian chests it down before firing a left-footed volley just inches wide of the far post.
14’ Cristian Higuita makes a good move and is taken down 25 yards from goal, earning a free kick. Boden directs a good ball into Larin, who dives to get a header on it but sends it high.
21’ Joe Bendik makes a good save on Houston’s Alex.
23’ Shea curls a dangerous ball into Larin inside the six-yard box, just missing the Canadian’s outstretched toe.
25’ Larin makes a good run at the Dynamo back line, but is called offside.
28’ Jalil Anibaba finds Alex in the box, but the Brazilian is unable to get his header on target.
35’ The Lions do well to work the ball up the right side and get numbers in the box. Kevin Alston drives into the area and tries crossing to Larin but it goes high.
38’ Orlando City continues dominating possession, controlling almost 64 percent of the ball while being tactical through midfield. Houston is outshooting Orlando 4-3.
41’ Shea drives another good ball into the box, which Tyler Deric has trouble controlling. The ball squirts out to space in the box, but Molino is unable to get there in time before it is cleared away.
44’ Seb Hines does well to get a toe on Will Bruin’s dribble as he attacks the box, doing enough to force Bruin’s shot wide of the post. Larin is well positioned to defend the ensuing corner kick, clearing it away.
45 (+1)’ Mateos launches a ball up to Larin, who is onside as he runs onto it, but Deric does well to catch the ball near the edge of the box.
45 (+1)’ After one minute of added time, the referee indicates the end of the first half with the score tied 0-0.
Second Half:
46’ Boden lofts a good ball up the right wing to Shea, who beats it to the end line before ripping it across the box and out for a corner kick.
47’ Boden’s corner service finds Hines in the box, but the Englishman’s header goes just over the bar.
50’ Molino picks up a loose ball in the attacking third and makes a great run into the box before attempting to chip Deric, but the goalkeeper got just enough on it to force it over.
59’ Boden makes a good give-and-go play with Shea, freeing Boden up the left wing for a perfect cross into the box for Larin, whose header goes off his defender and harmlessly away.
62’ Larin makes a great run up the right wing, cuts into the box and is brought down, but the referee rules play-on. The Lions continue dominating over 65 percent of possession.
70’ Higuita makes a great defensive play to keep the attack alive, working it to Shea on the left wing. Shea drives a hard ball into the six-yard box, but it is cleared away.
78’ Júlio Baptista, who came on for Darwin Cerén in the 60th minute, makes a slick move to earn a free kick just yards outside the box.
81’ Anibaba finds Boniek Garcia in the box with space for a shot, but Garcia’s right-footed shot curls well wide of the far post.
87’ Deric comes out of his box to play the ball and drags down Larin, who has had a particularly physical match, but no foul is called.
89’ Giles Barnes makes a good move to find space in the box and fires a shot off the post.
90’ Baptista finds Larin up the right wing. Larin plays back to Baptista, who rips a shot from distance that curls wide.
90’ Larin runs on to a bouncing ball that Deric swats away from the edge of his area.
90 (+3’) Molino lofts a good cross into the box for Larin, but Deric does well to catch it.
90 (+3’) After three minutes of added time, the referee indicates the end of the match. Final score Orlando 0, Houston 0.
Scoring Summary:
None.
Misconduct Summary:
None.
Lineups/Substitutions:
Orlando City SC - GK Joe Bendik, D Luke Boden, David Mateos, Seb Hines, Kevin Alston, M Harrison Heath (Servando Carrasco 88’), Cristian Higuita, Brek Shea, Darwin Cerén (Júlio Baptista 60’), Kevin Molino, F Cyle Larin
Substitutes Not Used: GK Earl Edwards Jr., D Conor Donovan, M Antonio Nocerino, Devron Garcia, F Hadji Barry
Houston Dynamo - GK Tyler Deric, D Jalil Anibaba, DaMarcus Beasley (Sheanon Williams 67’), David Horst, Raul Rodriguez, M Giles Barnes, Ricardo Clark, Alex (Andrew Wenger 58’), Boniek Garcia, Collen Warner, F Will Bruin (Cristian Maidana 74’)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Joe Willis, D Agus, M F Mauro Manotas, Erick Torres
Details of the Game
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Weather: Clear
July 8, 2016
Attendance: 28,104
Stats:
Possession:
ORL - 62.8 %
HOU - 37.2 %
Shots:
ORL - 6
HOU - 15
Saves:
ORL - 3
HOU - 1
Fouls:
ORL - 8
HOU - 11
Corners:
ORL - 7
HOU - 5
