Orlando City vs. Seattle Sounders: Final Score 0-0 as Lions Wasteful in Good Road Effort

For the second consecutive game, an Orlando City attacking player missed an empty net from point-blank range, and the Lions had to settle for another draw — this time a 0-0 affair against the Seattle Sounders at Lumen Field. Orlando (7-5-7, 28 points) missed a golden opportunity late in the second half, but Seattle (8-7-5, 29 points) was nearly as wasteful on its attacking end on this night.

With the draw, Orlando City remains winless in Seattle, going 0-2-2 there in the all-time series, and the Lions are now winless in three matches (0-1-2), but Orlando has taken four of the last six possible points from the Sounders. A point on short rest after traveling to a difficult place like Seattle is a good result and shows that if the team can get just a little more dialed in, the Lions can become a dangerous team.

“We walk off the field with the sensation that we could have won it and that feeling is heavy right now in the locker room, because we had our chances in the end,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match. “But it’s a game very well played by the players and with a lot of personality in a very difficult place against a very good team.”

Pareja had nearly a complete roster at his disposal for the first time in a few games and he went with Pedro Gallese in goal behind a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Antonio Carlos, and Michael Halliday. Wilder Cartagena rejoined Cesar Araujo in the central midfield behind an attacking line of Ivan Angulo, Martin Ojeda, and Facundo Torres, with Duncan McGuire up top.

Orlando City seemed to sleepwalk in the early going. Within the first minute, both center backs were concerned with the same attacker while Heber roasted Santos and got a good look at goal but Gallese parried away the shot.

A minute later, Nicolas Lodeiro picked up a loose ball as the Sounders befuddled the Orlando defense but fired a shot off the right post.

Orlando finally got hold of the ball in the seventh minute and Torres fashioned a chance out of nothing as Araujo was able to sneak in deep toward the right post. Torres’ cross-field pass was met by Araujo’s foot in the air but the volley attempt went just wide and into the outside netting.

Two minutes later, it was Santos making a good cross to switch the attack and Halliday volleyed it wide.

The game got a little more back-and-forth after the second good look for the Lions. Seattle won a corner kick after a turnover by Ojeda. The ball pinged around the box for a nervy couple of seconds before Orlando could clear.

Ojeda went for glory from distance in the 14th minute but his shot was always going over and he may have been better served to spray the ball left to continue the buildup.

A minute later, Leo Chu got in behind and only the fact that he was offside may have prevented Halliday from conceding a penalty.

Rusnak sent a free kick well off target in the 29th minute after a poor challenge by Jansson just outside the area.

Orlando’s best chance came in the 35th minute off a corner kick won by Angulo. McGuire got onto Ojeda’s cross and sent it toward the lower left corner but Stefan Frei made a big save to keep the game scoreless.

That was about it for the half as Orlando squandered a couple of late corners and the teams went to the break without a goal between them.

The Lions held the possession advantage (56%-44%) at the half, won more corners (5-4), and passed more accurately (85.8%-819%). Seattle attempted more shots (9-6), with each team getting one on frame.

The second half started like the first, with Seattle threatening to open the scoring. Santos set up a free kick for the hosts in the 47th minute when he took down Lodeiro. The Seattle Designated Player sent a ball on target that took a short hop but Gallese collected it cleanly. A minute later, Rusnak blasted a laser shot over the bar after Halliday was beaten by Chu and sent in a good cross.

Joao Paulo sent a ball way off target from just outside the box in the 53rd minute when he found himself in space and had a go. A minute after that, Cody Baker was left completely unattended outside of Santos and got to the end line, squaring a ball across for Heber, but the forward redirected it wide.

Pareja sent Mauricio Pereyra on for Ojeda in the 57th minute, looking to get more control of the midfield but it didn’t change much until the latter stages, when the captain started to find seams in the defense.

Orlando fashioned a good attack in the 65th minute with some numbers but Halliday couldn’t beat Nouhou with his cross. Halliday made up for that a minute later with a good low cross to McGuire, who flicked it on goal from the near post but Frei had it covered and made the save.

Unfortunately for the young right back, his night ended moments later. While bombing down the right with the ball, Halliday pulled up, grabbing his hamstring. He was subbed off for Kyle Smith. Pareja also sent Ramiro Enrique on for McGuire.

Pereyra should have opened the scoring in the 76th minute. Torres got into the box on the left and sent a shot on target. Frei saved it but couldn’t control the rebound, which fell right to the Orlando City captain. Pereyra sent the ball over the bar and into the stands from just in front of the net.

“I think it’s the point of the night that just made us walk off with that frustration, knowing that we had the game in a position to kill it and take the three points,” Pareja said.

Heber headed wide in the 87th minute in his last action as he was then subbed off for Fredy Montero.

Torres had the game on his foot two minutes later when Pereyra sent a fantastic ball through the back line for him to run onto. The Uruguayan sent a left-footed shot toward the back post but the ball trickled a few inches wide.

“We had various chances,” Torres said through a club interpreter. “First, Mauricio had one that unfortunately he wasn’t able to get it, and I had that one and unfortunately wasn’t able to get it either. But I think the most important part is that we were creating those chances. The game certainly changed when Mauricio entered and it’s obvious the importance that he has for us as a team.”

Neither side had a good look in the four minutes of injury time and the Lions will bring a point home after a scoreless draw.

Orlando City finished with more possession (55.7%-44.3%), shots on target (3-2), passing accuracy (80.7%-80.6%), and corners (7-5). Seattle had more overall shot attemps (16-13).

“I think we dominated the game in terms of the clear (scoring) options,” Pareja said. “We’re gonna walk off with that point, we’re going to take it proudly, and take it to Orlando with the commitment to be heavy at home and keep ascending in the standings.”

“We knew that we were going to be playing a tough game against a tough rival,” Torres said. “We created ourselves some chances. Obviously a little frustrated not to be able to get the goal on some of those chances that we’ve been looking to find. But the important part is that we are creating those chances against a very difficult team.”

The fixture congestion lightens up now as the Lions will have a normal week before hosting the Chicago Fire next Saturday night at Exploria Stadium at 7:30 p.m.