Orlando City hosted D.C United on Wednesday night in what would mark their seventh and final match in the month of May. It has been a strenuous, and at times exhausting, month for the Lions who have faced some tests and challenges both on the road and at home. But they went out on a high note, finding two goals in the second half to take down D.C 2-0.
One of those goals came from Giles Barnes, one of the latest offseason acquisitions for the Lions this season. Barnes has settled into the team fairly well, but had yet to consistently find that rhythm to score. He found that rhythm yesterday when he came in as a substitute for Luis Gil in the 59th minute.
His impact was immediate. Barnes brought an energy to the team that reinvigorated their attack. His first play of the match was a slide tackle against a D.C player that sent the message: this game isn’t over.
“I think he came in and did well. His first play of the game was a tackle and I think that got everyone going,” Larin said. “He kept dribbling at guys and taking guys on and I think that brought life to the game and more attacking quality to the game.”
Barnes drew the free kick that led to Larin’s goal in the 66th minute of play. His first shot soared over the net, but his second one bounced off the hands of D.C United Goalkeeper Bill Hamid and into the net. In the 88th minute, Barnes found his first goal of the season-- his first as a Lion.
“I thought tonight was obviously a different level than some previous games,” Head Coach Jason Kreis said, speaking of Barnes’ performance. “I think the first game for us he was at that same level, and he’s had some along the way, but for me, that’s your typical ‘why you make a substitution.’ You make a substitution to change a game, to lift the energy. And I thought Giles did a tremendous job at that for us tonight.”
After Barnes scored the goal, Kreis could be seen on the sidelines laughing. Some of that was probably the pressure leaving his shoulders, smiling at the assurance that the Lions would get this win. But there was something more to it as well.
“It’s interesting because we had a discussion yesterday and I told him that I thought his goal would come in some strange way. I thought he was pressing for it. You could see it in the training sessions, you can see it in some of the games where he’s almost trying to do too much,” Kreis said. “And when he took the shot-- after the first shot I was pretty aggravated that he took it-- and when he took the second one I thought ‘Oh my gosh, here he goes again’ and then the ball ends up in the goal. And so it came exactly as we thought it would for him, really strange play. I’m really happy for him. I think he has worked extremely hard, has been a terrific teammate, terrific supporter of all the players and the coaches, and he gets what I think he has deserved for awhile now.”
