ORLANDO, Fla. (September 15, 2016) – After a two-game road trip, Orlando City SC (7-8-13, 34 points) prepares for its second meeting of the season against Columbus Crew SC (5-11-11, 26 points) on Saturday, Sept. 17. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET at Camping World Stadium.
The match will be televised on WRDQ TV 27 and transmitted on Real Radio 104.1 FM in English and on La Grande 1030 AM in Spanish.
"We know Columbus is a quality team. The difficult thing that you run into with matches like these is sometimes people may walk into a match like this and say, ‘Oh Columbus is at the bottom of the table,’ and look at the number of points that Columbus has instead of the quality that Columbus has,” Lions Head Coach Jason Kreis said. “Columbus is a very good team. It’s a team that we know was in the MLS Cup Final last year and it’s a team that’s got a lot of quality so we need to approach this match the right way, understand that we’re playing a very good opponent and understand how critical it is to us to pick up all three points this weekend at home.”
It will also continue Orlando City SC’s #NeverHuntAlone ticket promotion. Fans can purchase two tickets for just $40 to any of the Lions’ three remaining home games. For more information, visit www.OrlandoCitySC.com/Hunt.
In the first meeting against Crew SC on July 23, the Lions completed a two-goal comeback to earn a massive road point. Kevin Molino cut the deficit in the 65th minute when he tapped in a loose ball inside the six-yard box. Canadian striker Cyle Larin completed the comeback just four minutes later when he leaped over his defender and headed home Molino’s cross to give the Lions a 2-2 draw at MAPFRE Stadium. Orlando City is 1-1-2 all-time against Crew SC in MLS play.
In the first match of City’s recent two-game road trip, Brek Shea equalized with his third goal of the season just two minutes after Montreal opened the scoring. The Lions then poured on three goals as Carlos Rivas registered his second assist of the game, drew the penalty kick that Kaká converted and scored a goal of his own. Then on Sunday, Molino scored his 10th of the season and Shea made it two goals in two games.
Goalkeeper Joe Bendik is second in MLS and leads the Eastern Conference with 101 saves. Larin leads the team with 13 goals and has scored three goals in his last two games against Columbus. Kaká leads the team with eight assists and has four goals in three games.
Kaká opened the scoring on a great individual effort before converting a game-winning penalty kick to lift the Lions over expansion rival New York City in their last home game on Aug. 28. Columbus, meanwhile, is just 1-8-3 on the road this season.
Crew SC is coming off of a 3-1 loss against Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Ola Kamara scored his 11th goal of the year but Vancouver equalized just two minutes later after a Gastón Sauro own goal. Andrew Jacobson scored the game-winner in the 74th minute with a strike from distance.
Justin Meram leads the team with eight assists and has added four goals. Goalkeeper Steve Clark is fifth in MLS with 94 saves. Crew SC midfielder Tony Tchani, who has a goal and three assists in 17 games this season, is suspended for a red card earned late in the Vancouver game.
Orlando City heads out on a crucial two-game road trip beginning Saturday, Sept. 24 at D.C. United at 7 p.m. ET. before going to Canada to visit Toronto FC on Wednesday, Sept. 24. The Lions return to Camping World Stadium for the penultimate time on Sunday, Oct. 2, when they host the Montreal Impact. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. ET.
