Orlando City vs. Toronto FC: Five Takeaways

Let’s run back the fun at Exploria Stadium as Orlando City posts back-to-back victories at home for the first time this season. The fireworks started early and often for the home team as the Lions jumped all over our visitors from the north. What follows are my five takeaways from an entertaining victory in front of the home crowd!

Wide Open Spaces

In what has become an unnerving trend, Orlando City started the match with an excellent opportunity from approximately six yards away, only to shank the ball into the bleachers. Mauricio Pereyra has been the unfortunate subject of multiple episodes of this blunder over the last few weeks…and for a captain that still maintains such an amazing touch when it comes to threading the needle to teammates, the fact that he and his teammates continue to shank such open-net opportunities into oblivion is truly head scratching. Luckily, blowing obvious chances had zero effect on the end result on Tuesday night, but nonetheless it is a trend we would love to see swing in the other direction.

Crossing Machine

It turns out that a lot to do about nothing may have been made in the off-season as Orlando City moved on from its starting left back, Joao Moutinho and brought in the duo of Luca Petrasso and Rafael Santos. It seems clear that Santos has taken advantage of Petrasso’s long injury absence and established himself as the starter on the left flank. And, after seeming a step slow to start the season, it appears that he has developed into quite the nice technical piece for Head Coach Oscar Pareja. Armed with a strong left foot, Santos was the driving factor behind both first-half goals, with an accurate cross into a dangerous area on the first goal, finding Cesar Araujo. On the second, he was a bit more fortunate, as a deflection off a defender looked to be harmlessly bouncing toward Toronto goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh, but Duncan McGuire made a nice hustle play to get there first and redirect it. Left and right backs who can cross into the box? What a time to be alive!

Dictating Play

Orlando City suffered no confusion in the match as to which would be the squad to dictate the pace of play. While I know the match was against a team with an interim manager and that is currently struggling to find its way, it was apparent early on that Orlando would not only enjoy being on the front foot but also control the pace for almost the entirety of the match. Coming off of a match 72 hours earlier, it was quite impressive to see OCSC impose its will from whistle to whistle.

Keeping a Clean House

Orlando City was so dominant that Pedro Gallese had almost nothing to do. Toronto did not get any of its measley six shots on target. Once again, Wilder Cartagena and Araujo did well to shield Gallese and the back line, while Ivan Angulo, Pereyra, and Facundo Torres tracked back to help whenever necessary. With seven clean sheets on the season, El Pulpo is only two shy of the nine that he posted just a year ago. It is an easy game when the attacking players are finding the back of the net, but an even easier advantage when the team has an outstanding shot stopper who doesn’t even have to face any shots on target.

Pouring It On

Orlando refused to take its foot off the gas pedal on the Fourth of July and insisted that fireworks be heard on and off the pitch throughout the match. While a two-goal lead entering halftime felt quite comfortable, this squad refused to come out in the second half and simply attempt to protect that lead. A brilliant long ball from Araujo found substitute Dagur Dan Thorhallsson for his first MLS goal to put Orlando up 3-0, and then in the 84th minute, a brilliant flick from Designated Player Martin Ojeda to fellow DP Ercan Kara secured the Lions’ fourth goal of the night. For those scoreboard nuts like me, Sept. 17 vs this same Toronto FC team was the last time Orlando scored four in a match at home.

Well, there you have it, my five takeaways from a great night and a great victory. Orlando will be on short rest as the Lions head to Real Salt Lake for the weekend match, but it is always better to travel with a victory under your belt than a loss or draw. Did you have any additional takeaways from the match? Let us know in the comments below!