CARSON, Calif. (September 11, 2016) – Following Wednesday’s 4-1 victory at Montreal, Orlando City SC (7-8-13, 34 points) fell to the LA Galaxy (11-4-14, 47 points) 4-2 Sunday at StubHub Center. Kevin Molino scored his 10th goal of the season and Brek Shea scored his second goal in as many games.
“It’s really disappointing because we were in a good moment with our form and really had hoped for better tonight. We don’t have our head between our legs and we’re not ready to quit. Credit to LA, they were doing things to really press us in our half,” Lions Head Coach Jason Kreis said. “We’ll move on quickly. I don’t look at it as a particularly negative thing or anything to dwell on. I just say we need to continue to fight.”
The Lions opened the match continuing the strong defensive form shown under Kreis. Luke Boden, who made his 16th start of the season, deflected a dangerous LA cross in the 10th minute before José Aja thwarted another quick Galaxy attack.
City struck on the counterattack in the 20th minute when Boden caught up to a long ball on the end line and passed to Cyle Larin, whose shot was blocked inside the six-yard box. The ball rebounded out to Molino, who made his return to the Lions after representing Trinidad and Tobago in a 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifier, and he fired it home for the 1-0 lead.
Orlando City held the lead for 15 minutes before Mexican international Giovani Dos Santos tapped home an Emmanuel Boateng cross for the equalizer. Then in the 38th minute, LA made it 2-1 when Alan Gordon fired in a pass from Jelle Van Damme.
The match saw Carlos Rivas make his second consecutive appearance after Wednesday’s one-goal, two-assist performance against Montreal. Rivas was a force up the left wing and fed several dangerous crosses into the box. In the 63rd minute, the Colombian boxed out his defender and fed Molino to earn a corner kick.
Shea also came on in the second half and was an immediate spark to the Lions’ attack. Just six minutes after entering the match, Shea ripped a shot from distance that LA goalkeeper Brian Rowe had to leap through the air to swat over the bar. The Texan then scored his third goal of the season when he slammed home a rebound in stoppage time.
Midfielder Tony Rocha, who was signed to an MLS contract from Orlando City B on Aug. 4, made his sixth appearance of the season when he came on for Antonio Nocerino in the 40th minute. In the 80th minute, the former Tulsa Golden Hurricane almost scored his first MLS goal when he collected a rebound in the box and fired a shot off the bar and out of play.
With six games remaining, the Lions hold a one-point lead on the New England Revolution for the sixth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot with a game in hand.
Orlando City returns to Camping World Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 17, when it hosts Columbus Crew SC at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Lions then head to Washington, D.C. for a critical match against D.C. United on Sunday, Sept. 24.
MATCH HIGHLIGHTS:
First Half
10’ Luke Boden does well to head a dangerous LA cross out of the danger zone. José Aja covers Alan Gordon extremely tight, sticking his leg in to stop a would-be goal.
19’ The Lions continue showing strong defensive form as Kevin Alston heads away a threatening ball from Giovani Dos Santos.
20’ Luke Boden lofts a ball into Cyle Larin, whose shot is blocked in front of the net. Kevin Molino races onto the rebound and fires it into the back of the net.
25’ A well positioned Larin clears a Galaxy centering feed out of the area.
33’ Joe Bendik swats another dangerous Dos Santos cross away and Kevin Alston clears it away before Emmanuel Boateng can get a shot off.
35’ A Dos Santos tap-in levels for the Galaxy as Boateng catches the Lions on the counterattack.
38’ Gordon slams home a cross from Jelle Van Damme to make it 2-1 LA.
40’ Tony Rocha enters the match in place of Antonio Nocerino.
44’ The referee awards LA a penalty kick.
45’ Dos Santos converts on the PK.
45 (+2)’ After two minutes of added time, the referee indicates the end of the half. Orlando City 1, LA Galaxy 3.
Second Half:
57’ Kevin Molino serves a dangerous cross into the area but it goes through the six-yard box and out for a goal kick.
60’ Carlos Rivas enters the match in place of Cyle Larin.
63’ Rivas boxes out his defender and feeds a ball to Molino but it goes out for a corner kick.
65’ Alston makes a run behind the LA back line and crosses a ball to Molino but the Trinidadian’s aerial backheel flick goes wide of goal.
70’ Robbie Keane makes it 4-1 LA.
75’ Aja stops Robbie Keane alone in the box.
79’ Brek Shea fires a wicked shot from distance that Brian Rowe gets a finger on to tip over the bar.
80’ Boden curls the ball to Shea, who fires another strong shot on target. The rebound goes to Rocha, who rips a shot off the bar.
83’ American legend Landon Donovan enters the match in place of Raul Mendiola.
87’ Boden earns a corner kick up the left wing. Molino curls an in-swinging ball to David Mateos, who directs the ball just wide of the near post.
90 (+2)’ Shea fires another strong shot, this time off the near post and in off the rebound.
90 (+2)’ After two minutes of added time, the referee ends the match. Orlando City 2, LA Galaxy 4.
Scoring Summary:
ORL - Kevin Molino 20’
LA - Giovani Dos Santos (Emmanuel Boateng) 35’
LA - Alan Gordon (Jelle Van Damme) 38’
LA - Giovani Dos Santos (PK) 45’
LA - Robbie Keane (Giovani Dos Santos) 70’
ORL - Brek Shea 90 (+2)’
Misconduct Summary:
LA - Rafael Garcia (Yellow Card) 45 (+2)’
ORL - Tony Rocha (Yellow Card) 48’
LA - Ashley Cole (Yellow Card) 55’
ORL - David Mateos (Yellow Card) 60’
LA - Raul Mendiola (Yellow Card) 75’
Lineups/Substitutions:
Orlando City SC - GK Joe Bendik, D Luke Boden, David Mateos, José Aja, Kevin Alston, M Antonio Nocerino (Tony Rocha 40’), Servando Carrasco, Matías Pérez García, Kaká (Brek Shea 73’), Kevin Molino, F Cyle Larin (Carlos Rivas 61’)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Earl Edwards Jr., D Seb Hines, Tommy Redding, F Júlio Baptista
LA Galaxy - GK Brian Rowe, D Ashley Cole, Jelle Van Damme (A.J. De La Garza 74’), Daniel Steres, Robbie Rogers, M Rafael Garcia, Sebastian Lletget, Emmanuel Boateng, Giovani Dos Santos, Raul Mendiola (Landon Donovan 83’), F Alan Gordon (Robbie Keane 60’)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Dan Kennedy, M Jeff Larentowicz, Baggio Husidic, Mike Magee
Details of the Game:
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Weather: Clear
September 11, 2016
Attendance: 27,167
Stats:
Possession:
ORL - 51.5 %
LA - 48.5 %
Shots:
ORL - 14
LA - 12
Saves:
ORL - 0
LA - 1
Fouls:
ORL - 12
LA - 20
Corners:
ORL - 4
LA - 4
