Orlando City vs. LA Galaxy: Final Score 2-1 as Cardiac Cats Score Late to Earn First Road Win

Orlando City trailed 1-0 with a quarter of an hour to play on an LA Galaxy goal by Christian Ramirez that looked offside, but the Lions scored on a penalty in the 76th minute and got a fortunate bounce of the goalkeeper’s hands on a long-range free kick in the 90th to complete a 2-1 comeback win at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, CA. For Orlando City (3-2-1, 10 points), it was the first road win of the season (1-1-1) and it kept the Galaxy (0-4-2, 2 points) winless on the season.

Martin Ojeda scored a penalty kick drawn by Eduard Atuesta to level the game, and Luis Muriel’s hard, high free kick gave John McCarthy trouble in a Cardiac Cats finish, as Orlando’s Designated Players continue to score goals.

“I want to congratulate our players (on) the way they believed in the game,” Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja said after the match — his 200th with the club in all competitions. “We had a difficult assignment but their willingness to change the game, to dominate the game, and also to continue until the end, that was something that made us feel very optimistic. It was a great performance against a great team, and I really think that we played well. We used very well our spaces tonight, and I saw a lot of personality (from) the majority of our players.”

Pareja’s lineup saw the return of Pedro Gallese in goal behind a back line of Rafael Santos, Robin Jansson, Rodrigo Schlegel, and Alex Freeman. Cesar Araujo and Atuesta started in central midfield behind an attacking line of Ivan Angulo, Ojeda, and Marco Pasalic, with Muriel up top.

As expected, the team with the most completed passes in MLS saw most of the possession in the early going, making some probes into the area but not able to create much early.

However, it was Orlando that created the first dangerous moment with a clever run by Atuesta in the second minute. The Colombian sent in a dangerous cross intended for Muriel, but Zanka came sliding in to prevent a tap-in goal by Orlando.

After the Galaxy won a few corner kicks but did nothing with him, Freeman got an opportunity in the seventh minute. A good cross in from the left found the young fullback in front, but his header was right at McCarthy for the team’s only shot on target of the opening period. Considering the Galaxy came into the match with the Western Conference’s leakiest defense, it was a disappointing half by chance-creating standards for Orlando.

Atuesta was called for a foul a minute later, giving LA a free kick in a dangerous spot to the left just outside the box. A wicked bend on Diego Fagundez’s service nearly picked out the top right corner, forcing Gallese to tip it over the crossbar.

The Galaxy scored in the 14th minute on another play Pareja’s defense will want back. Gabriel Pec slipped in down the right behind Angulo and Santos, who were both caught flat-footed. A good ball just inches over Santos’ head found the LA winger, who sent a pass in front to Ramirez, who redirected it back against the grain and inside the right post, giving Gallese no chance to make the save. Ramirez appeared to be offside when Pec played the ball, and the video assistant referee looked at it but did not send referee Jon Freemon to the monitor and the goal stood.

Orlando started keeping the ball better after the goal, but couldn’t threaten the net much. Ojeda scuffed a shot attempt from the top of the area in the 19th minute. Moments later, Pasalic sent Muriel into the box, but the Colombian’s backheel pass did not fall into the path of a teammate, allowing LA to clear. Ojeda fired just off target from the top of the box on the left in the 21st minute, as the lack of final precision continued for Orlando.

Pasalic and Santos sent in crosses too close to the keeper in the 35th and 37th minutes, respectively, though the Croatian’s was deflected by Fagundez.

The Galaxy nearly scored a second in the 38th minute when Santos was bodied off the ball hard, giving space for Pec to smash a shot that Gallese fought off for a save. Fagundez jumped on the rebound at the top of the box and fired off the left post.

That was the last decent look of the half for either side in a half that saw the Lions with no lethality in the attack and several individual defensive lapses and turnovers in the defensive half.

Orlando City finished the first half with more possession (51.9%-48.1%), owing to a prolonged spell after the Galaxy scored. However, the hosts finished with the advantage in shots (5-4), shots on target (2-1), corners (4-0), and passing accuracy (85.8%-85.3%).

“In the first part of the game, probably 15-20 minutes, we had trouble with managing the spaces,” Pareja said. “They were using that double pivot with (Edwin) Cerillo and (Isaiah Parente). They were doing a great job on using that space. And we had to make a couple modifications to the way we want it. And then we just controlled much more our half and started getting our sequences cleaner, and our team grow in that part.”

As happened in the first half, the Galaxy came out with more energy to start the second period. The Lions looked to be in trouble in the 49th minute in transition when Schlegel got caught trying to catch the Galaxy offside. Instead, Pec chased the ball down the right side with an open teammate to his left. Santos got to the ball at the same time, and Pec shoved him down, with both players going to ground. Orlando was fortunate to concede only a corner because Pec couldn’t get the ball to make the final pass.

On the ensuing corner, Ramirez shook free of Freeman but got under his header, putting it high over the bar. Moments later, LA couldn’t pay off a dangerous free kick conceded by Araujo just outside the left corner of the box.

Pasalic got his foot to an aerial ball that was headed on by Santos in the 58th minute off a set piece but the Croatian couldn’t steer it on frame. Moments later, Angulo played Atuesta in behind but the flag came up quickly and McCarthy came out and snuffed out the play anyway.

Pareja made two substitutions that changed the game in the 66th minute, sending Duncan McGuire and David Brekalo on for Angulo and Santos. The two replacement lifted the team’s energy, with Brekalo handling Pec’s forays down LA’s attacking right and McGuire stretching the Galaxy back line. That allowed players like Atuesta to get forward to join the attack and it changed the team’s fortunes in just a few minutes.

“Those two substitutions were a game changer,” Pareja said. “What I see was the energy that they brought to us in a moment that we needed it the most. David (was) in a position that is not usual for him. I thought he came from behind and supported us, and at the same time, he just gave us stability defensively. Duncan, he can stretch those defenders.”

Moments after Miki Yamane fired over the bar from outside the area, Pasalic got loose for a shot near the right corner of the box at the other end. This time, the Croatian put his shot on frame, but the near post try was a comfortable save for McCarthy.

Ramirez fired wide off the recycle of an LA corner in the 70th minute, but the Lions started looking more dangerous in transition.

Atuesta got into the top of the box in the 73rd minute and it changed the match. While doing a stepover to tryto beat Yamane, the defender caught Atuesta’s foot. The midfielder went down and Freemon pointed to the spot, awarding a penalty. The foul was reviewed by video assistant referee Michael Radchuk, who upheld the call on the field.

“I was in the area. I think he wanted to be too aggressive on the ball and he stepped on my feet,” Atuesta said. “So, I feel the contact, and it was a penalty. David (Brekalo) came in so good, winning duels, and he helped a lot. And I felt good at that moment with a little bit more freedom to attack.”

Ojeda stepped to the spot, slowed his approach just before reaching the ball on a long run-up, waited for McCarthy to commit to his left, and passed the ball into the back of the net to tie the game in the 76th minute. With his fourth goal of the season, the Argentine has already equaled his 2024 regular-season goal total.

The Lions’ mood visibly changed after Ojeda drew the team level. Just three minutes after tying the game, Orlando came within inches of the lead. Atuesta blasted a shot from outside the area that struck the right post. The ball caromed to McGuire who sent a diving header that he couldn’t keep down. The ball sailed harmlessly over the goal. Moments later, Ojeda was sent down the left by Muriel and the Lions’ No. 10 sent a beautiful ball to send McGuire down the right. McGuire scuffed his shot and it skipped wide of the left post in the 82nd minute.

Pareja used the stoppage to send Dagur Dan Thorhallsson on for Pasalic. The Lions kept on coming after the restart. Atuesta smashed a shot in the 83rd minute that was blocked out front by the defense. A minute later, Freeman scuffed a shot attempt from the right side, with the Galaxy defense scrambling to knock it behind for a corner.

On the ensuing set piece, the ball was sent from the left corner to the right top corner of the box, where it found Muriel. The Colombian fizzed a shot that got through all the traffic out front but skipped just wide of the left post.

In the 87th minute, Thorhallsson sent in a good cross to McGuire. Under pressure from his defender, the big striker couldn’t direct his header on frame. Two minutes later, the Icelandic midfielder/fullback changed the game.

Making a good run through the LA defense and into the attacking third, Thorhallsson drew a foul from behind on Parente, who picked up a yellow card for the challenge. Muriel stood over the ball. With numbers forward in the box, Muriel opted to fire for goal from distance. His shot arced over the LA wall and was dipping below the crossbar. McCarthy leaped up to knock it over his crossbar or catch it, but misplayed the shot. The ball squirted through McCarthy’s fingers and behind him, bouncing into the goal to put Orlando ahead in the 90th minute.

It was Muriel’s third goal of the season, just two shy of the five he had all of last season. It was also his sixth goal contribution on the season, which is half as many as he had throughout 2024.

Orlando City saw out the five minutes of stoppage time, plus about one additional minute, with only a Parente shot over the bar from distance to deal with, claiming a wild comeback road victory.

At the end of the match, the Lions held the advantage in possession (51.3%-48.7%), shots (15-10), and shots on target (4-2). LA finished with more corners (6-2) and slightly better passing accuracy (87.2%-86.9%).

“We are very happy, because we worked very hard to get the result,” Atuesta said. “Here is not an easy place to come and win when you have to fly a across the country. We had to work the game, be intelligent. We knew some time in the game we’re going to manage the game to win, to get more chances. “

“Coming here to LA and getting these three points is giving us much more hope on keep adding points in very difficult places,” Pareja said. “So, a lot of confidence for us (from) these three points. The performance itself, I think, which makes us feel that we’re growing. Now we will be ready to prepare for the next one against another tough rival in our conference.”

The Lions will conclude their road trip a week from tonight with a match against the Philadelphia union at Subaru Park in Chester, PA.