ORLANDO, Fla. (July 31, 2016) – In its first home game since July 8, Orlando City SC (5-5-11, 26 points) scored three second-half goals to earn a 3-1 win over the New England Revolution (6-8-8, 26 points), putting the teams in a tie for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. An outstanding performance by Molino, who scored twice and assisted on Cyle Larin’s equalizer, catapulted the Lions to extend their home-unbeaten streak to 17 games.
“Obviously very, very happy. I think the week of work that the players and staff have put in was excellent. One of the best weeks I’ve ever been involved with. To see that work culminate in a really strong performance makes me extremely happy,” Head Coach Jason Kreis said. “It’s really rewarding as a coach to be working on something and spending a lot of energy to try and convey that message to the players to see it start to take shape in the game.”
Kreis made several changes to the lineup in his first game as head coach. Kreis put MLS All-Stars Kaká and Cyle Larin at forward and Hadji Barry, Kevin Molino, Servando Carrasco and Antonio Nocerino at midfield in his 4-4-2 formation. Brek Shea came on for Barry, who made his third consecutive start, at halftime.
Just one minute into the second half, Larin and Molino played a clever one-two to free Larin in left side of the box. The Canadian striker ripped a left-footed shot into the far post, beating goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth for his team-leading 11th goal of the season and his third consecutive game with a goal.
Molino put the Lions ahead in the 64th minute when Shea made a strong run to the end line before chipping the ball into the six-yard box. Molino dove onto the ball and headed it into the back of the net for his first multi-goal game in MLS. It was Shea’s second assist of the season.
The goal put the Lions in the lead after Kei Kamara opened the scoring for New England in the 19th minute. The Lions trailed going into halftime despite outshooting the Revs 4-2 and controlling almost 53 percent of possession.
The Lions put the exclamation point on a fantastic evening in the 83rd minute after an extended passing sequence between Boden, Kaká and Molino. Boden flicked it to Kaká, who passed it up to Molino charging into the box. The Trinidadian ripped home his ninth goal of the season to send the 27,768 purple clad fans in attendance into a frenzy and earn Orlando City its first three-goal half of the season.
The match saw Kaká, who featured in Columbus and at the MLS All-Star game, earn his first start since July 4. The captain made his presence felt throughout the match, playing his teammates into space and generating strong attacks up each wing. Kaká finished with an assist and three shots.
The Lions return to action on Sunday, July 7, against the Seattle Sounders. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET at Camping World Stadium.
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
4’ Luke Boden blocks Teal Bunbury’s shot from inside the area.
8’ Kaká and Cyle Larin play a clever combination before springing Hadji Barry free up the right wing.
14’ Kevin Molino just misses Larin and Barry on a long ball to the far post.
18’ New England’s Scott Caldwell is issued a yellow card after pulling down Kevin Molino as the Trinidadian broke free up the right wing.
19’ Kei Kamara breaks free up the right wing and fires a shot into the back of the net.
28’ Kaká makes a good run up the left wing and feeds Barry in the box, but the Guinean forward is unable to get a shot off.
29’ Larin and Barry play a clever give-and-go up from the right wing. Barry one-touches back to Larin, who fires a shot wide of the far post.
35’ Kaká plays a clever ball to Hadji Barry in the box, who back-heels it into his defender and earns a corner kick.
36’ Kaká picks up a loose ball outside the box, dribbles in and rips a left-footed shot that is deflected out for a corner.
37’ Larin corrals a strong pass, takes a touch around his defender and fires a shot from 19 yards out just inches wide of the post.
40’ Kaká dribbles into the box, makes a move past his defender and rips a left-footed shot that goes just over the bar.
45’ The referee indicates the end of the first half. Orlando City 0, New England 1.
Second Half:
46’ Brek Shea enters the match in place of Hadji Barry, who made his third consecutive start, to begin the second half. It is Shea’s 18th appearance this season.
46’ Larin fires a left-footed shot into the far post to equalize the match. Larin played a give-and-go with Molino to find Larin with space in the box.
49’ Brek Shea sprinted in as Bobby Shuttleworth calmly waited to catch a high ball. Shea disrupted Shuttleworth, causing the ball to bounce dangerously in front of an empty net.
52’ Kevin Alston dribbles into the box before firing a ball to Kevin Molino. Molino cleverly flicks it just wide of the goal, grazing the side netting on its way out of play.
61’ Kaká delivers a great ball in for Seb Hines, who heads it just wide of the post.
64’ Brek Shea dribbles to the edge of the box, chips a ball into the six-yard box that Molino dives to head into the back of the net for the go-ahead goal.
75’ Joe Bendik makes a strong save on a Kelyn Rowe shot from inside the box. The Lions are outshooting New England 10-4 while controlling over 56 percent of possession.
76’ Brek Shea gets in behind the line and rips a left-footed shot that Shuttleworth is just able to keep out.
77’ Bendik does well to thwart another Revolution attack before it truly posed a threat.
81’ Bendik does well to stop two New England attacks, first punching away a centering feed and then charging out to grab a loose ball in the box.
83’ After a dominant sequence of passes between Molino, Kaká and Boden, Kaká finds Molino running into the box. Molino rips a shot past Shuttleworth for his second goal of the match.
90’ Joe Bendik makes a spectacular leaping save to push the ball over the bar.
90 (+4)’ After four minutes of added time, the referee ends the match. Orlando City 3, New England 1.
Scoring Summary:
NE - Kei Kamara (Kelyn Rowe) 19’
ORL - Cyle Larin (Kevin Molino) 46’
ORL - Kevin Molino (Brek Shea) 64’
ORL - Kevin Molino (Kaká) 83’
Misconduct Summary:
NE - Scott Caldwell (Yellow Card) 18’
ORL - Cristian Higuita (Yellow Card) 80’
Lineups/Substitutions:
Orlando City SC - GK Joe Bendik, D Luke Boden, David Mateos, Seb Hines, Kevin Alston, M Servando Carrasco, Kevin Molino, Antonio Nocerino (Cristian Higuita 78’), Hadji Barry (Brek Shea 46’), F Kaká (Darwin Cerén 84’), Cyle Larin
Substitutes Not Used: GK Earl Edwards Jr., D José Aja, M Júlio Baptista, F Carlos Rivas
New England Revolution - GK Bobby Shuttleworth, D Jose Goncalves, Andrew Farrell, Je-Vaughn Watson, London Woodberry, M Scott Caldwell (Charlie Davies 75’), Lee Nguyen, Kelyn Rowe, Chris Tierney (Gershon Koffie 62’), Teal Bunbury (Diego Fagúndez 69’), F Kei Kamara
Substitutes Not Used: GK Brad Knighton, D Darrius Barnes, M Zachary Herivaux, Diago Kobayashi
Details of the Game:
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Weather: Cloudy
July 31, 2016
Attendance: 27,768
Stats:
Possession:
ORL - 56.3 %
NE - 43.7 %
Shots:
ORL - 16
NE - 10
Saves:
ORL - 4
NE - 2
Fouls:
ORL - 12
NE - 15
Corners:
ORL - 5
NE - 2
