TORONTO (September 28, 2016) â In the second match of a two-game road trip, Orlando City SC (7-10-14, 35 points) earned its fourth clean sheet of the season in a 0-0 draw against Toronto FC (13-8-10, 49 points). Goalkeeper Joe Bendik made four saves against his former team.
âGenerally Iâm pleased. The performance I thought was really good. Obviously we asked for a massive defensive commitment from the players and they gave us that tonight. When they do that, we get shutouts and we put ourselves in a position to win games,â Lions Head Coach Jason Kreis said. âWe had a fair amount of chances. On a different night maybe we walk out with all three points, but Iâm pleased with the performance.â
The Lions displayed the strong defensive form emphasized by Kreis during a short week of training. Center backs JosĂŠ Aja and David Mateos had good chemistry throughout the match and kept Torontoâs potent attack, which featured Tosaint Ricketts and U.S. national team striker Jozy Altidore, at bay. Left back Luke Boden and right back Kevin Alston, who made his 20th start of the season, were also instrumental to help the team record the shutout.
Bendik, who entered the match third in the league with 105 saves, put out another outstanding performance. The former Toronto goalkeeper made a point-blank save on Ricketts in the 31st minute and quickly followed it up with another strong save on Altidore. He continued the form that has earned him MLS Save of the Week honors 11 times.
Orlando City started the match with Colombian striker Carlos Rivas next to Cyle Larin up top with KakĂĄ, Kevin Molino and Brek Shea in the attacking midfield. Rivas pressed hard on Torontoâs back line and earned several balls back before the Reds could clear. Rivas was subbed off for countryman Cristian Higuita in the 40th minute due to a formation change for City.
The Lions turned up the pressure in the second half after Ricketts received his second yellow card, subbing on Argentinian attacking midfielder MatĂas PĂŠrez GarcĂa in the 75th minute. PĂŠrez GarcĂa combined well with KakĂĄ and Molino and created several chances. Then in the 86th minute, Kreis turned to Brazilian supersub JĂşlio Baptista. âThe Beast,â who leads MLS with three goals off the bench, quickly sparked the attack and nearly put City ahead.
Orlando City face a short turnaround as they return to Camping World Stadium to host the Montreal Impact on Sunday, Oct. 2, for a 1 p.m. ET kickoff. The match will be nationally televised on ESPN.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS:
First Half
11â Brek Shea controls a pass from KakĂĄ and with his right foot delivers a hard cross into the box for Cyle Larin. Alex Bono dives to the far post to make the save.
14â Servando Carrasco charges into the attacking third to keep the attack alive and passes to Carlos Rivas. The young Colombian makes a clever back-heel pass to Carrasco, who fires a shot at Bono.
16â KakĂĄ makes a sly move to get around his defender before making a dashing run into the box and crossing to Larin.
18â Luke Boden passes to Kevin Molino on top of the box. Molino takes one touch to KakĂĄ on the left wing and the Brazilian drills a shot on the volley just over the bar.
25â Joe Bendik punches a Michael Bradley free kick out of the danger zone.
31â Bendik makes a spectacular save on Tosaint Ricketts in alone. Bendik then makes another strong save on a shot from Jozy Altidore.
38â Rivas springs the counter attack up the left wing. KakĂĄ passes to Shea, who takes a touch past a diving defender, dribbles into the box and lays off for Molino. The Trinidadian is tripped up but the referee rules play-on.
40â Cristian Higuita enters the match in place of Carlos Rivas.
42â Larin takes a nice touch with his shoulder to chip it past two defenders and earns a corner. Higuita flies into Torontoâs corner clearance and fires a shot over the bar.
45â After zero minutes of added time, the referee indicates the end of the half. Orlando City 0, Toronto FC 0.
Second Half:
48â Bendik charges out to challenge Altidoreâs touch on Bradleyâs lofting through ball. Kevin Alston and JosĂŠ Aja do well to cover Jonathan Osorio in the middle.
53â Bendik makes an easy save on a shot from Armando Cooper.
55â Carrasco keeps the pressure on and earns a free kick near the box. Molino serves up the free kick but Bono punches it out. KakĂĄ earns a free kick near the edge of the area.
57â KakĂĄ drives a free kick from 19 yards out that bounces off the wall and out for a corner.
65â Bendik makes a great save to his left on a first-touch shot from Marco Delgado.
67â Molino receives a pass from KakĂĄ and drives into the box, takes a touch past his defender but is unable to catch up to it before Bono swallows it up.
70â Ricketts is shown a second yellow card for an attempted bicycle kick that hit Aja in the face.
73â KakĂĄ and Molino combine to spring KakĂĄ alone in the box. The Brazilianâs shot is saved by Bono.
74â Molino earns a free kick on the edge of the box. MatĂas PĂŠrez GarcĂa enters the match for Shea; Daniel Lovitz enters the match for Delgado.
80â KakĂĄ lofts a ball into a streaking Larin and earns a corner.
83â KakĂĄ makes a good run into the box and works it off Larin and Molino but the Lions are unable to get a shot off in traffic.
86â Supersub JĂşlio Baptista enters the match in place of Molino.
90 (+3)â After three minutes of added time, the referee ends the match. Orlando City 0, Toronto FC 0.
Scoring Summary:
None.
Misconduct Summary:
ORL - Brek Shea (Yellow Card) 45â
TOR - Tosaint Ricketts (Yellow Card) 56â
ORL - Cristian Higuita (Yellow Card) 62â
TOR - Tosaint Ricketts (Yellow Card) 70â
TOR - Tosaint Ricketts (Red Card) 70â
TOR - Steven Beitashour (Yellow Card) 74â
Lineups/Substitutions:
Orlando City SC - GK Joe Bendik, D Luke Boden, JosĂŠ Aja, David Mateos, Kevin Alston, M Servando Carrasco, Brek Shea (MatĂas PĂŠrez GarcĂa 75â), Kevin Molino (JĂşlio Baptista 86â), KakĂĄ, F Cyle Larin, Carlos Rivas (Cristian Higuita 40â)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Earl Edwards Jr., D Tommy Redding, Seb Hines, M Tony Rocha, Seb Hines
Toronto FC - GK Alex Bono, D Steven Beitashour, Nick Hagglund, Drew Moor, Justin Morrow, M Michael Bradley, Marco Delgado (Daniel Lovitz 75â), Armando Cooper (Will Johnson 78â), Jonathan Osorio (Benoit Cheyrou 86â), F Jozy Altidore, Tosaint Ricketts
Substitutes Not Used: GK Clint Irwin, D Eriq Zavaleta, M F Jordan Hamilton, Mo Babouli
Details of the Game:
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Weather: Cloudy
September 28, 2016
Attendance: 23,805
Stats:
Possession:
ORL - 53.4 %
TOR - 46.6 %
Shots:
ORL - 8
TOR - 15
Saves:
ORL - 4
TOR - 3
Fouls:
ORL - 14
TOR - 15
Corners:
ORL - 8
TOR - 7