ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando began its first of a three-game road expenditure in the Big Apple Wednesday night falling two-nil to the New York Red Bulls. Although Orlando displayed a resilient work ethic early on, the Red Bulls prevailed when Connor Lade scored the game-winner in the 39th minute that later was capped off with a strike from a free kick in the 59th minute.
“I think we knew it would be difficult coming here,” said Interim Head Coach Bobby Murphy, “It’s a tough place to come and play. They’re very good at what they do. I think Jesse [Marsch] has them well prepared and well drilled.”
Midfielder Brek Shea and Kevin Molino lead the charge for Orlando generating a threat for New York’s backline. Cyle Larin, who is City’s leading scorer, gave the team its best chance of the night in the 76th minute, but his shot was stopped by goalkeeper Luis Robles.
“Not a lot of teams are going through what we’re going through, but I think we just got to come together as a team and grind it out and go into these games and hopefully get a point or three, and that’s the only way you can come out of it,” said Forward Cyle Larin.
Orlando looks to bounce back on Saturday during their first-ever visit to Vancouver to face the Whitecaps for a 10 p.m ET showdown. The Whitecaps are coming off a 2-0 victory over Real Salt Lake sitting third in the Western Conference (8-4-8, 28 points). The team will head directly from New Jersey to Vancouver on Thursday evening.
“I know the sun will come up tomorrow,” Coach Murphy said, “I know things will turn around, but I feel for them because they do give what they have. Sometimes it's not good enough, and sometimes that's the way the world works. But it's no excuse to put your head down and mope. You have to stick out your chest, trod the road to our happy destiny.”
