Charlotte FC found out the hard way on Saturday night – speed kills.
Orlando City right back Ruan delivered a signature performance on Saturday, scoring City’s first goal and assisting the second in the Lions’ 2-1 win over 2022 expansion side Charlotte. The Brazilian speedster was voted Heineken Man of the Match, was named to the Audi MLS Team of the Week, and was nominated for MLS Player of the Week for his sensational performance.
While it wasn’t quite as Flash-y as his full-field sprint on the second goal, Ruan’s speed played a big part in the opener. With Ruan waiting back in defense, Robin Jansson drove forward and found Benji Michel one-on-one with Charlotte right back Jaylin Lindsey on the left wing. Michel beat Lindsey and sent a ball through the box. Jansson, who had continued his run, kept the play alive with a slight touch in front of the six, allowing Ruan to suddenly appear out of nowhere, gliding in from the right and smashing it past Kristijan Kahlina.
The second goal was, of course, vintage Ruan. With Charlotte bringing all 10 outfield players forward on a corner kick, Ruan was able to get free and Mauricio Pereyra found him with a dime down the middle of the field. Ruan eluded the scrambling Charlotte defenders and cheekily laid it off for a Facundo Torres tap-in.
Ruan had a terrific game overall, one of his best out of his 90 career appearances for the Club. He terrorized Christian Fuchs on the wing all game long, finishing with a game-high seven touches inside the box. He was a consistent outlet for Orlando, ranking third on the team with 60 touches. Defensively, he chipped in a team-high three interceptions.He
