Orlando City FC defeat NYCFC
Orlando City went harder to New York City FC and got three points in huge 2-1 away win. What went wrong, at first Orlando wanted to be to top of the Eastern Conference after eight match weeks.
Cyle Larin scored against New York City FC, Orlando’s de facto rival since both teams entered MLS in the same season as expansion teams. Larin has scored 13 goals against NYCFC since 2015, which is an impressive goal haul. Larin has already six goals in nine games so far this season and now ties the Erick “Cubo” Torres in the Golden Boot race.
Since Jason Kreis arrived in Orlando midseason last year, made big difference for the team that leaked goals and lost games with regularity. During the offseason has right pieces and lay the groundwork for his preferred 4-4-2 diamond and possession-oriented system.
New York City FC toke the pitch with fancy jerseys made from Parley Ocean Plastic. Alongside Adidas, MLS and Parley for the Oceans, NYCFC will help raise awareness around the harmful impact of marine plastic pollution.
A well-worked corner routine almost game NYCFC the perfect start inside 60 seconds as Andrea Pirlo found Alex Ring on the edge of the box but the Finnish midfielder’s sweetly-struck shot was beaten away by Joe Bendik in the Orlando goal.
That was the extent of the goalmouth action in a cagey, incident-free first 20 minutes as the two 2015 Expansion Teams sized one another up in a tactical chess match.
The game caught fire again when Jack Harrison picked up the ball on the right wing on 24’ and swung in an enticing cross towards Maxi Moralez who forced another good save from Bendik with his stooping, diving header.
However, it was The Lions who pounced first through NYCFC’s arch-enemy Cyle Larin who scored his eighth goal in seven appearances against the boys in blue, sweeping one in from close range after an Orlando break.
That was how it stayed until the halftime interval, leaving Head Coach Patrick Vieira with an important halftime address to deliver to his charges but it was the visitors who came out firing in the second period, doubling their lead on 50’.
Of course it was Larin again who made it nine in seven after he outmuscled Rodney Wallace and headed a deep cross back where it came from and beyond Sean Johnson’s outstretched hand.
With a mountain to climb, Vieira brought in Yangel Herrera for Andrea Pirlo and the Venezuelan was involved in the buildup as NYCFC nearly came back to within a goal as McNamara’s deflected effort looped over the ‘keeper and landed on the roof of the net.
Wallace forced Bendik into his first proper save on 67’ with a diving header which had to be parried away but five minutes later, Vieira’s men were finally on the board.
Moralez found Villa with a dinked free-kick over the top and El Guaje swiveled and volleyed from the acutest of angles to ignite hopes of a dramatic comeback.
Moralez and Harrison both went close with stunning efforts in the final 10 minutes but Bendik prevailed with three excellent saves and the visitors held on for all of the points.
Orlando still seem to have NYCFC’s number… we meet again in Florida on May 21 to see if third time’s a charm.
New York City Head Coach Patrick Viera… On whether he is disappointed with how the team defended Kyle Larron…
“I think you have to give him a lot of credit because he was at the right place at the right time, and the way he finished was really good. I’m not surprised at all because we knew if he had the chance and he was in the box he would finish. More than the goal, I think is the situations we give them to finish those chances. I think when you look at the first goal, we weren’t there to defend and that’s important for us to win. We conceded two goals because we defended badly.”
On Rodney stepping in at leftback…
“I think when you look at him as a leftback and as a winger it’s different. Leftback is not his favorite position. I think he was really concentrated on a different side of the game, but I strongly believe he can play that position as well, so we have to keep working on that and see.”
On what he has to consider when making his approach for the games…
“Everytime I make the starting eleven, I go through the possibilities that I have. I go through Andrea. I go through David. I go through Maxi, so I base the team on the team we’re going to face, but mostly I try to stick to the principles of how we play the game.”
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