Orlando City Falls to Vancouver Whitecaps

ORLANDO, Fla. (August 26, 2017) – In the third-ever meeting between the two teams, Orlando City SC (8-11-7, 31 points) fell 2-1 to Vancouver Whitecaps FC (11-9-5, 38 points) Saturday at Orlando City Stadium. Cyle Larin scored his 10th goal of the season, Yoshimar Yotún registered his first Major League Soccer (MLS) assist and Dillon Powers made his Orlando City 

“The effort the guys are putting forward in the last five or six games now is second to none. The belief that they have, the willingness that they have to work to the bitter end is fantastic and I can’t be more thankful for that,” Lions head coach Jason Kreis said. “But for whatever reason it seems that it’s bad luck after bad luck after bad luck. To go through a game tonight where we gave them both goals and then weren’t able to finish one of the plethora of chances we had is difficult. Really, really mentally and emotionally difficult time for us.”

Vancouver opened the scoring in the ninth minute when Nicolas Mezquida’s free kick delivery bounced off Tommy Redding and in.

City turned up the pressure from there and widely controlled the run of play. Larin entered the match as a halftime substitution for Carlos Rivas and headed home Yotún’s cross in the 62nd minute to cut the deficit in half following Brek Shea’s goal. It was Larin’s team-leading 10th goal of the season and Yotún’s first assist as a Lion after being signed on Aug. 4. Cristian Higuita earned his third assist of the season.  

Urged on by the supporters, the Lions pushed for the equalizer. Larin almost had his second in the 78th minute following a mad scramble in the box - the second of the night for City - but it went out for a corner. Barnes cracked a shot off the bar in 86th minute.

Powers entered the match in the 57th minute to make his first appearance as a Lion. Powers was acquired from Colorado in exchange for Luis Gil on Aug. 10.

City begins a four-game road trip on Saturday, Sept. 2, at the New England Revolution. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET. The Lions then visit D.C. United, Atlanta and Portland before returning to Orlando City Stadium on Wednesday, Sept. 27, to host New England.

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS:

First Half

1’ Kaká runs across the top of the box with the ball and lays it off for Cristian Higuita.

5’ Yoshimar Yotún slides the ball up the touchline for Carlos Rivas, who centers for Dom Dwyer but he can’t get a shot off. Orlando City maintains possession.

9’ Nicolás Mezquida floats his free kick delivery into the box for Kendall Waston but it bounces off Tommy Redding and in. Orlando City 0, Vancouver Whitecaps 1.

13’ Yotún takes a quick free kick and flicks a perfect ball for Dwyer in the box.

14’ Yotún drives the box and wires a shot from 25 yards just over the bar.

16’ Kaká drives the box from the left wing, takes it on his left foot and fires a cross for Dwyer but Stefan Marinovic stops his point-blank effort.

21’ Kaká works it into the box from the left again and passes to Yotún who curls a first-time effort inches over the bar.

24’ Yotún curls a free kick from near midfield to Giles Barnes, whose header lands on top of the net.

25’ Aaron Maund earns a yellow card for a reckless challenge on Dwyer at midfield.

27’ Donny Toia takes a yellow card. Rivas changes his boots.

30’ Sutter’s service from the right wing takes a deflection and forces Marinovic to tip it over the bar. Yotún plays the corner short for Rivas, who curls it in but Dwyer is covered and the Lions earn another corner. Kaká takes the kick from the southeast flag and gets it back from Yotún but his shot goes out for another corner.

32’ Kaká swings the delivery into the box for Barnes but it goes out for another corner. Kaká plays City’s fourth corner to the top of the box for Rivas, who takes a shot and unleashes pandemonium. Vancouver appears to play a handball on Redding’s shot from inside the box. Bodies fly as the ball bounces, Dwyer spins and Marinovic covers.

45’ Yotún does some clever work to get around his defender and find room to run in midfield.

45+1’ After one minute of added time, the referee ends the first half. Orlando City 0, Vancouver Whitecaps 1.

Second Half

46’ Cyle Larin enters the match in place of Carlos Rivas to start the second half.

50’ Higuita works with Kaká and the ball pops into the box. Dwyer turns and fires a no-look shot that goes wide.

53’ Brek Shea scores on the break. Orlando City 0, Vancouver Whitecaps 2.

57’ Dillon Powers enters the match in place of Donny Toia. Yotún moves to left back. It is Powers’ Orlando City debut. Larin’s shot from the edge of the box is saved.

62’ Yotún swings it in for Larin, who drives his header down and in. Orlando City 1, Vancouver Whitecaps 2. Alphonso Davies enters the match in place of Nicolás Mezquida.

66’ Fredy Montero enters the match in place of Erik Hurtado.

69’ Yotún swings his free kick to Larin and Dwyer at the far post but Marinovic catches. Davies puts his shot over the bar.

71’ Redding is shown a yellow card.

73’ Vancouver misses a tap-in. Powers moves the ball into the attacking half.

74’ Yordy Reyna enters the match in place of Bernie Ibini-Isei.

76’ Kaká is shown a yellow for fouling Davies.

78’ Dwyer earns a corner. Yotún curls it for Larin who can’t. Sutter rips the ball back in, it bounces off Marinovic and straight to Larin but he can’t put it in. Barnes has a go before Powers shoots and City earns a corner. The match is paused as Russell Teibert receives medical attention.

83’ Bendik makes a save on Davies. Sutter works it back up the pitch. Antonio Nocerino enters the match in place of Cristian Higuita.

85’ Kaká skips past Davies and goes up the pitch. Larin throws for Yotún, Powers lofts it in for Dwyer but Marinovic comes in with a wicked punch.

86’ Barnes cranks one off the bar from 25 yards with his left foot.

89’ Kaká gets it from Yotún, goes around Shea and earns a corner. Larin’s header bounces wide.

90+2’ Sutter blasts his shot from the edge of the area off the head of Jordan Harvey.

90+4’ After four minutes of added time, the referee ends the match. Orlando City 1, Vancouver Whitecaps 2.

Scoring Summary:
VAN - Tommy Redding (OG) 9’
VAN - Brek Shea (Erik Hurtado) 53’
ORL - Cyle Larin (Yoshimar Yotún, Cristian Higuita) 62’

Misconduct Summary:
VAN - Aaron Maund (Yellow Card) 25’
ORL - Donny Toia (Yellow Card) 27’
ORL - Tommy Redding (Yellow Card) 71’
ORL - Kaká (Yellow Card) 75’

Lineups/Substitutions:

Orlando City SC - GK Joe Bendik, D Donny Toia (Dillon Powers 57’), Léo Pereira, Tommy Redding, Scott Sutter, M Cristian Higuita (Antonio Nocerino 83’), Yoshimar Yotún, Giles Barnes, ⓒ Kaká, F Carlos Rivas (Cyle Larin 46’), Dom Dwyer

Substitutes Not Used: GK Earl Edwards, Jr., D José Aja, M Servando Carrasco, Tony Rocha

Vancouver Whitecaps FC - GK Stefan Marinovic, D Jordan Harvey, Aaron Maund, ⓒ Kendall Waston, Jakob Nerwinski, M Marcel de Jong, Russell Teibert, Brek Shea, Bernie Ibini-Isei (Yordy Reyna 75’), Nicolás Mezquida (Alphonso Davies 63’), F Erik Hurtado (Fredy Montero 66’)

Substitutes Not Used: GK David Ousted, M Mauro Rosales, Andrew Jacobson, Cristian Techera

Details of the Game:
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Weather: Overcast
Date: Aug. 26, 2017
Attendance: 24,406

Stats:

Possession:
ORL - 72.5 %
VAN - 27.5 %

Shots:
ORL - 25
VAN - 7

Saves:
ORL - 2
VAN - 3

Fouls:
ORL - 10
VAN - 19

Corners:
ORL - 9
VAN - 3