ORLANDO, Fla. (June 25, 2016) – Orlando City SC (4-3-8, 20 points) earned a thrilling, last-second victory Saturday night to defeat Toronto FC (5-6-4, 19 points) by a final score of 3-2. Kevin Molino set up goals by Cyle Larin and Adrian Winter before Kaká sealed the victory with a penalty kick in the 10th minute of second-half stoppage time. The win extends Orlando City’s home-unbeaten streak to 15 games - the longest active streak in MLS.
“Obviously another late, late show. Not sure how my ticker’s taking it all, but I’m delighted for the players. It would’ve been a travesty if we had not won the game. Overall, I thought we deserved to win the game,” Lions Head Coach Adrian Heath said. “I thought some of the [players’] performances, some of the effort and commitment that some of them did was fantastic. We got a result that I thought we deserved. As people say, they even themselves out. We’ve certainly earned that one.”
Heath was able to field one of his strongest lineups in several weeks, as 2015 Orlando City Players’ Player of the Year Darwin Cerén made his first start since May 15. The match also saw the return of captain Kaká, who was injured while training with the Brazilian national team ahead of Copa América Centenario.
The captain made his presence felt immediately, setting up Molino’s pass to Larin for the opening goal in the fifth minute. Kaká was dominant in the first half, controlling the run of play as the focal point of the Lions’ attack. Kaká finished with five shots.
His most important shot, however, came in the 10th minute of stoppage time. With the Lions pressuring to reclaim their lead, the referee awarded Orlando City a penalty kick after supersub Júlio Baptista was dragged down in the box. Kaká fired the shot down the middle, off the crossbar and straight down into the goal, bouncing up into the top netting as it sent the 27,818 in attendance into a frenzy.
It was City’s third lead of the game and a dramatic ending to a riveting match. Adrian Winter, who Heath said “ran a million miles” on the night, looked like he won it for the Lions in the 83rd minute when he headed Kevin Molino’s lofted cross into the back of the net after a great hustle play by Kevin Alston.
Alston ran down Kaká’s pass just inches from the end line as Toronto goalkeeper Alex Bono, who entered the match in the 70th minute after starting keeper Clint Irwin injured himself taking a goal kick, charged out to grab the bouncing ball. Bono couldn’t handle it and Molino sprinted to the loose ball before chipping it into Winter, who headed into the back of the net.
Toronto appeared to steal the Lions’ victory in the 90th minute when Sebastian Giovinco drove a low ball across the face of goal to Justin Morrow for the tap-in.
The Lions recaptured their lead and secured three points with their fifth stoppage-time goal of the season - the highest in MLS. Winter’s goal was the first Toronto conceded in the final 15 minutes this season.
Orlando City opened the scoring in the fifth minute when Kaká found Molino on the left flank. On his first touch, Molino delivered a hard pass to Larin on the far post. The Ontario native fired a shot into the roof of the net for his team-leading eighth goal of the season. It was the first of Molino’s two assists, which tied Kaká for the team lead with five.
The match saw two water breaks - one in each half - due to the intense heat and humidity. Water breaks are observed if the wet bulb globe temperature exceeds 89.6 degrees.
Orlando City returns to action on Monday, July 4, when it visits FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium. Kickoff is set for 9 p.m. ET. The Lions return to Camping World Stadium just four days later on Friday, July 8, to host the Houston Dynamo for an 8 p.m. ET kickoff.
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
2’ Kevin Molino steals the ball on the left wing and works it to Kaká. The captain gives it back to Molino, who finds Adrian Winter open in the box. Winter’s shot is blocked and Toronto clears.
5’ Adrian Winter gives the ball to Kevin Molino on the edge of the box. With just one touch, Molino drives a cross to Cyle Larin on the far post, which the Canadian puts into the roof of the net. The goal extends Larin’s team lead to eight.
9’ Kaká rips a shot from 20 yards that is deflected out for a corner. Kaká’s corner service is cleared away to Darwin Cerén, who drills a shot from distance just over the bar.
13’ Sebastian Giovinco delivers a dangerous corner kick to the far post, but goalkeeper Joe Bendik does well to make the catch.
14’ Kaká makes a dashing run up the pitch with Kevin Molino and Cyle Larin to either side. Kaka dishes to Kevin Molino on the left, and the Trinidadian makes a touch past a charging Clint Irwin but is unable to keep the ball in play.
19’ Kaká makes another quick sprint up the field and feeds Cyle Larin on the edge of the box. Larin makes a slight touch to Adrian Winter, whose shot goes out for a corner.
27’ The Lions continue controlling over 62 percent of possession while outshooting Toronto 5-1, with two shots on target to none.
29’ The game is paused for a water break due to the wet bulb globe temperature exceeding 89.6 degrees. Play resumes in the 31st minute.
34’ Cyle Larin steals the ball in the attacking third and gives it to Adrian Winter, who makes a nice run towards the box before chipping it in for Kaká, but goalkeeper Clint Irwin comes out to make the catch.
37’ Brek Shea launches a ball up to Cyle Larin, who catches up to it in the box. Larin makes a centering pass for Kaká, who fires a shot through his defender’s legs, forcing Clint Irwin to parry it out for a corner.
38’ Kaká finds Cyle Larin, who fires a shot off the post from the edge of the box.
41’ Kaká steals the ball on the left wing and drives toward the box. The Brazilian fires a left-footed shot from 19 yards out that curls just wide of the post.
42’ Joe Bendik thwarts another Toronto opportunity by coming out to catch Sebastian Giovinco’s corner service yet again.
45 (+3)’ The referee indicates the end of the first half after three minutes of stoppage time with Orlando City leading 1-0. The Lions are outshooting Toronto 10-5 and are controlling over 56% of possession.
Second Half:
47’ Jordan Hamilton evens the score when he receives Jonathan Osorio’s pass and takes a left-footed shot past Joe Bendik from 10 yards out.
50’ Joe Bendik dives to his right to make a nice save on a shot from Sebastian Giovinco.
51’ Adrian Winter flicks a clever ball to Kevin Molino, who fires a shot just wide of the corner.
56’ Cristian Higuita dishes to Kevin Molino 25 yards from goal. Molino takes a touch and fires a right-footed shot that Clint Irwin parries away for a corner.
58’ Kevin Molino drives a ball into Kaká, who flicks it to Cristian Higuita with one touch. Higuita’s centering pass is cleared away.
66’ Toronto’s Jonathan Osorio makes a hard foul on Cristian Higuita 21 yards from goal. Kaká takes the direct free kick and whizzes it just wide of the near post, grazing the outside netting on its way out of play.
70’ Toronto goalkeeper Alex Bono enters the match in place of Clint Irwin, who injured his right leg while taking a goal kick.
75’ Kevin Molino makes a nice move up the left wing to find Adrian Winter in the box. The Swiss winger chests the pass down to Cyle Larin, who fires a first-time shot that is blocked away.
78’ The game is paused for a water break. During the break, Júlio Baptista enters the game in place of Cyle Larin. It is Baptista’s 10th appearance of the season and his fifth consecutive game entering as a sub. Larin finishes with one goal on three shots.
83’ Kevin Alston gets a pass down the right side of the box, which goalkeeper Alex Bono can’t handle. Kevin Molino picks up the loose ball and lofts it into Adrian Winter in the middle of the box. Winter heads the ball into the empty net for the go-ahead goal. It is Winter’s third goal of the season and Molino’s second assist of the game, tying Kaká for the team lead with five.
90’ Justin Morrow knocks in Sebastian Giovinco’s cross to tie the match at two. The referee indicates eight minutes of stoppage time.
90 (+4)’ Adrian Winter gets a pass from Brek Shea just outside the box. Winter takes a touch and fires a shot that is blocked before rolling to Alex Bono.
90 (+9)’ The referee awards Orlando City a penalty kick after Júlio Baptista is dragged down in the box. Josh Williams is assessed a straight red card.
90 (+10)’ Kaká fires the penalty kick straight down the middle off the crossbar and in to give Orlando City a 3-2 lead.
90 (+11)’ After eleven minutes of added time, the referee ends the match. Orlando City wins a dramatic game 3-2.
Scoring Summary:
ORL - Cyle Larin (Kevin Molino) 5’
TOR - Jordan Hamilton (Jonathan Osorio) 47’
ORL - Adrian Winter (Kevin Molino) 83’
TOR - Justin Morrow (Sebastian Giovinco) 90’
ORL - Kaká (PK) 90 (+10)’
Misconduct Summary:
ORL - David Mateos (Yellow Card) 32’
TOR - Jonathan Osorio (Yellow Card) 66’
TOR - Josh Williams (Red Card) 90 (+9)’
Lineups/Substitutions:
Orlando City SC - GK Joe Bendik, D Kevin Alston, David Mateos, Tommy Redding, Brek Shea, M Darwin Cerén, Cristian Higuita, Kevin Molino (Servando Carrasco 86’), Adrian Winter, F Cyle Larin (Júlio Baptista 79’), Kaká
Substitutes Not Used: GK Earl Edwards Jr., D Rafael Ramos, Luke Boden, M Antonio Nocerino, F Carlos Rivas
Toronto FC - GK Clint Irwin (Alex Bono 70’), D Nick Hagglund, Drew Moor, Josh Williams, Justin Morrow, M Benoit Cheyrou (Mo Babouli 86’), Will Johnson (Marky Delgado 46’), Jonathan Osorio, F Jordan Hamilton, Sebastian Giovinco, Tsubasa Endoh
Substitutes Not Used: D Eriq Zavaleta, Mark Bloom, M Jay Chapman
Details of the Game
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Weather: Hot
June 25, 2016
Attendance: 27,818
Stats:
Possession:
ORL - 60.1 %
TOR - 39.9 %
Shots:
ORL - 17
TOR - 12
Saves:
ORL - 2
TOR - 3
Fouls:
ORL - 10|
TOR - 12
Corners:
ORL - 7
TOR - 5
