COLUMBUS, Ohio (April 1, 2017) – In its first road match of the season, Orlando City SC (2-1-0, 6 points) fell 2-0 to Columbus Crew SC (3-1-1, 10 points) Saturday at MAPFRE Stadium. Scott Sutter made his Lions debut and Tommy Redding made his first Major League Soccer (MLS) appearance of 2017.
“Disappointed to suffer our first loss in our first away game but a lot of positives from my point of view,” Lions Head Coach Jason Kreis said. “I thought we created the right amount of chances. I thought we got into their half pretty well into some really good spots. I thought we lacked a little bit of sharpness, though, in the final third, which is difficult. It’s our third game of the season [so] it’s not too surprising to say that we weren’t deadly and real sharp in the attacking third of the field when we have to combine and make plays. That’s pretty typical so I'm not surprised by it and I’m not too disturbed by it. Obviously disappointed that we don’t get the result but I think we got a lot of positives that we are moving forward with.”
The Lions came out in the same starting XI that earned them a 2-1 win against Philadelphia on March 18 and with the same backline that earned a clean sheet victory on Opening Day. But with two weeks since its last match, City couldn't hold off Justin Meram in the 13th minute when he beat the offside trap and slotted a left-footed shot inside the far post. Several close opportunities nearly leveled the score before the half, namely Donny Toia’s first-time volley from the edge of the area after a cross was deflected high.
City came out and controlled much of the run of play to start the second half. Cyle Larin, Giles Barnes and Will Johnson were focal points of the attack and built off passes and runs from Matías Pérez García and Carlos Rivas. The Lions nearly equalized in the 51st minute when Larin made a well-timed run to get behind the Crew SC back line and drive the ball across the six-yard box to Johnson, but the Canadian connection went wide.
The match saw Sutter make his Lions debut. The Swiss defender entered the match at right back in the 71st minute. Sutter signed with City on March 3. Redding played his first match of the season after returning from the U.S. U-20 national team’s first ever CONCACAF U-20 Championship title.
The Lions return to the City Beautiful on Sunday, April 9, when they host the New York Red Bulls. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. ET at Orlando City Stadium. The match will be nationally televised on ESPN.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS:
First Half
12’ Giles Barnes works the ball up the left wing and swings it into the box for Matías Pérez García but it sails high.
13’ Justin Meram opens the scoring with a left-footed shot just inside the far post.
19’ Meram receives a yellow card for a foul on Pérez García.
21’ Carlos Rivas picks up the ball at midfield and drives a shot from 30 yards that forces a lunging save from Zach Steffen.
27’ Steffen comes out to challenge Rivas in the box. Rivas wins the ball but catches Steffen with his boot.
29’ Cyle Larin works the ball to Barnes. Barnes dribbles at his defender and takes a shot from the corner of the box but it goes wide.
30’ Pérez García makes a slick move to find space. The Lions work the ball up to Donny Toia, who takes it all the way to the corner flag and wins a battle to turn the corner.
33’ Toia rips a volley from outside the box that forces a strong safe from Steffan.
39’ Jonathan Spector rejects another Crew SC attack from the wing.
43’ Tommy Redding enters the match in place of José Aja. It is Redding’s season debut.
45 (+2)’ Servando Carrasco’s goes for a corner kick. MPG serves an out-swinging ball that is cleared.
45 (+2)’ After two minutes of added time, the referee ends the half. Columbus Crew 1, Orlando City SC 0.
Second Half
51’ Cyle Larin makes a great play to get in behind and crosses it along the six-yard box. The ball skips free to Will Johnson but Johnson’s shot was wide.
53’ Larin chests a long ball down and runs up the left sideline, earning a corner. Johnson drives an in-swinging ball that is cleared.
54’ Larin lays it off for Barnes outside the box but the Jamaican’s shot sails over the bar.
57’ Pérez García drops a sweet ball to the feet of Barnes, who drops it off for Toia. Toia’s cross goes to Johnson on the far side of the box and the Lions earn a corner.
60’ Servando Carrasco is shown a yellow card.
62’ Cristian Higuita enters the match in place of Servando Carrasco.
63’ The Lions earn a corner kick. Johnson plays it short to Pérez García. Spector tries to get on the end of a loft over the back line.
71’ Scott Sutter enters the match in place of Pérez García. It is Sutter’s Lions debut.
73’ Joe Bendik makes a leaping grab on a header after a Crew SC free kick
77’ Meram makes it 2-0 with his right foot.
85’ Sutter’s shot from distance goes wide.
87’ Rivas drills s free kick that Steffen punches out.
89’ Rivas drives an in-swinging corner service to Johnson, whose diving header goes just over the bar.
90 (+2)’ Rivas drives a low hard ball for Johnson, whose one-touch shot goes just wide.
90 (+3)’ After three minutes of added time, the referee ends the match. Columbus Crew SC 2, Orlando City SC 0.
Scoring Summary:
CLB - Justin Meram (Artur) 13’
CLB - Justin Meram (Federico Higuaín) 77’
Misconduct Summary:
CLB - Justin Meram (Yellow Card) 19’
ORL - Servando Carrasco (Yellow Card) 60’
ORL - Tommy Redding (Yellow Card) 76’
Lineups/Substitutions:
Orlando City SC - GK Joe Bendik, D Donny Toia, Jonathan Spector, José Aja (Tommy Redding 43’), Ⓒ Will Johnson, M Antonio Nocerino, Servando Carrasco (Cristian Higuita 62’), Giles Barnes, Matías Pérez García (Scott Sutter 71’), F Carlos Rivas, Cyle Larin
Substitutes Not Used: GK Josh Saunders, M Richie Laryea, PC, F Hadji Barry
Columbus Crew SC - GK Zack Steffen, D Harrison Afful, Nicolai Naess, Alex Crognale, Jukka Raitala, M Federico Higuaín, Justin Meram, Ethan Finlay (Niko Hansen 86’), Ⓒ Wil Trapp, Artur (Mohammed Abu 90+3’), F Ola Kamara (Adam Jahn 89’)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Brad Stuver, D Waylon Francis, Josh Williams, M Héctor Jimenez
Details of the Game:
Time: 4 p.m. ET
Weather: Overcast
Date: April 1, 2017
Attendance: 12,226
Stats:
Possession:
ORL - 50.3 %
CLB - 49.7 %
Shots:
ORL - 14
CLB - 6
Saves:
ORL - 1
CLB - 4
Fouls:
ORL - 10
CLB - 13
Corners:
ORL - 6
CLB - 4
