Orlando City vs. Columbus Crew: Final Score 1-1 as Lions Finally Earn Road Point

In a draw that felt simultaneously like a loss and a huge win, Orlando City (1-5-1, 4 points) finally showed some defensive grit and determination that has been woefully missing in captain and starting center back Robin Jansson’s first match of the year. A strong start, the captain’s return, some great goalkeeping, desperate defending, and a little luck saw the Lions through to a point on the road against a struggling Columbus Crew (1-3-3, 6 points) side still looking for its first home win. Jansson’s return seemed to be felt throughout the team which fought desperately to redeem itself after a record-setting bad start.

“We were able to maintain the level of energy,” Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman said after the game. “I think we started the first 20-25, minutes, really, in a really good manner, when we scored, not only compact and solid, but also…controlling the game with the ball. I think we could score maybe one more goal there. Then, in the second half, we knew…they’re gonna try to attack more, and that will allow spaces for counterattacks, which we have, and…we couldn’t score. And then the game is the game.”

Perelman’s starting XI featured Maxime Crepeau in goal behind a three-man central defense of David Brekalo, Jansson, and Iago, with wingbacks Griffin Dorsey and Ivan Angulo. Braian Ojeda and Eduard Atuesta played in central midfield, while, Tiago, Martin Ojeda, and Marco Pasalic manned the attack. Duncan McGuire was a late scratch after picking up a knock late in the week in training.

The Lions came out looking like a team that knows how to play football. They pressed and combined and put Columbus under significant pressure early on. The back line was particularly good at reading the Crew’s attacks and snuffing them out, one way or another.

On the other side of the ball, Angulo was aggressive and made good things happen in the opening half hour. Winning the ball, making a quick stop-and-go move, and sprinting down the left side, Angulo sent in an outstanding pass to send Tiago behind on the left. The Brazilian then sent a nice cutback pass to an on rushing Pasalic, who fired home under pressure in the 14th minute to put the Lions ahead early and give some much needed optimism to the team.

“We trained this, not only this week, but it’s something we tried to improve from training to training this last week, and I give props to the team and to Martín [Perelman], the coach, that we have the patience after these losses and we come here with motivation,” Pasalic said. “He motivates us, the team had their heads high, you know, we keep it high after these losses, and it was important to come here and try to show that we can score goals. We created a lot of chances today, especially me. I could’ve scored one more goal. I’m sad about it, but the most important thing, in the last games we don’t create as many chances like today, so this is a good way to go.”

Minutes later, Angulo took advantage of a bad back pass and made an opportunistic run and an accurate pass to Pasalic, whose shot was blocked.

Disaster struck for Columbus when Wessam Abou Ali suffered a non-contact knee injury. He was able to continue, but later went down again and had to be stretchered off.

Dorsey and Brekalo made some good defensive plays early to defend crosses. Brekalo fouled Rossi to prevent a promising attack in the 29th. However, Columbus was beginning to grow into the game and Orlando was beginning to struggle to posses the ball.

In the 32nd minute, Pasalic made a great run but a touch took him wide, resulting in a spoiled attempt that was blocked. On the other side of the pitch, Abou Ali went down without contact in the Orlando 18-yard box during a Columbus attack and was stretchered off in the 35th. This left the Crew without one of their most productive attackers. You couldn’t tell from how the game shifted though, as Columbus began to use quick, accurate passing that the Lions struggled to deal with.

The defending became more and more reactionary and frustrated, resulting in a yellow card to Iago in the 41st for a completely unnecessary foul in the back on Max Arfsten. Brekalo took his turn getting a yellow in the 43rd for persistent infringement, although this one was a bit soft. Columbus kept pouring it on, creating increasing half-chance after chance, but the Lions managed to fend the attacks off. Tiago was particularly effective defending the barrage of set peices.

The half ended mercifully, with Orlando still leading 1-0.

Columbus led in possession (56.2%-43.8%) and shots (5-3), with both teams tied in shots on target (1-1). The Crew dominated the corners (6-0), and led in passing accuracy (90.7%-84.6%).

The second half started like the first half finished with the motivated Crew on the front foot. Orlando could not seem to stop Columbus from playing right through the entire length of the field, leading to a corner in the 54th minute barley surviving the Crew’s relentless efforts.

Tiago earned himself a yellow card defending a Columbus attack by fouling Steven Moreira.

The Lions did have their counterattack chances though and unbelievably were unable to capitalize on a Patrick Schulte gaffe in the 56th minute. Ruby Camacho sent a difficult pass back to Schulte, who kept the ball in play, but teed it up for Pasalic, who tried to pass it back to Martin Ojeda with no one in goal. But Camacho tracked back to interfere with the pass to Ojeda, saving a the Crew from a tap-in goal by Orlando.

Columbus had many chances but was lacking just a little precision which helped keep the Crew off the scoreboard.

Again Orlando created a promising chance in the 57th, with Angulo, Martin Ojeda, and Tiago combining well and Tiago fighting off pressure from Sean Zawadski. Tiago passed right to Malte Amundsen though instead of Ojeda or Pasalic crashing the box.

Jansson was a predictably reassuring presence as he was reading plays and snuffing out chances, but Orlando was still not able to do much but defend deep and launch hopeful balls over the top, with the occasional Angulo attack in the mix but usually leading to a bad touch and no shot.

Luis Otavio came on for Atuesta in the 64th minute giving the veteran some rest and some needed minutes for the young player. In the 65th minute, Angulo’s pace snuffed out a counter, as he contributed to the defense about as much as he did to the offense on the evening.

A common theme was a well placed ball over the defense by Martin Ojeda to Tiago, but unfortunately each time the chance went wanting.

Zakaria Taifi came on in the 68th minute for an active Dorsey who returned from a back injury. In the 70th minute, Iago defended a strong shot with his head and went down for a few minutes and was held off in the sidelines to undergo concussion protocols.

Following the restart, the Lions were awarded a dropped ball, which Ojeda once again sent over the Crew to Tiago who, once again, failed to make anything of a tremendous opportunity, as a poor touch prevented him getting in behind for a scoring chance. Following this play, Iago was subbed based on the concussion assessment and Adrian Marin replaced him.

Jansson lost out on a shoulder-to-shoulder with Jamal Thiare, who played it out to Arfsten, but Crepeau made the save. Orlando countered and again a great opportunity went wanting — this time, after some beautiful buildup via a short Angulo cross that missed a wide-open Martin Ojeda.

Jansson hobbled off the pitch in the 78th, replaced by Tahir Reid-Brown, and Orlando City was officially out of subs.

“Robin was planning to leave the game at the moment, so he’s fine,” Perelman said. “He was coming back from a long period of time without activity, so we knew he wasn’t going to be able to complete the game. Of course, (the) Iago substitution [hurt] us more.”

That sub was costly, because Columbus quickly equalized. In the 80th minute, Columbus finally scored at home for the first time this season via a Diego Rossi shot roofed into the net. Taha Habroune chipped the entry ball over the defense for Rossi, kept onside by Angulo. Reid-Brown was a bit late to recognize the danger as well and was caught on the wrong side of the Columbus forward. Marin was also a tad late getting over to try to block the attempt.

Orlando was clinging to a point, and Marin earned a yellow for a necessary tactical foul, snuffing out a Crew counter in the 82nd. Pasalic earned himself a yellow as well in the 86th for an pulling back Amundsen.

Crepeau kept the Lions in the match with an excellent reaction kick save in the 88th minute on a powerful Daniel Gazdag shot. The Canadian international had to receive medical attention shortly after for an injury to his left hand, but he was able to continue.

The referee added ten minutes of stoppage time that eventually bulged to 12 as the Lions tried to hang on. Angulo looked fatigued in the 96th minute, sending a throw-in right to Rossi which nearly led to another Columbus goal if not for a near miss on a Gazdag header.

The Crew kept coming, but a committed defense, including a great tackle by Marin in the 99th kept the Lions alive. The final whistle blew and the Lions could go home with a much-needed and well-earned result.

The Crew heavily dominated every statistical category though, including possession (60.7%-39.3%), shots (20-5), shots on target (7-1), corners (8-1), and passing accuracy (90.7%-78.7%).

“I’d say we started really good,” Pasalic said. “We hadn’t conceded a goal for 80 minutes, then we made the changes and that mistake happened, but it’s football. I’m happy that the team showed mentality today, that we showed that we can handle things after these big losses. And, I mean, on one side, I say this team didn’t deserve these losses in the past, so I’m not going to speak about it anymore. I look to the future, and we can connect the future games to this game today.” 

Up next, the Lions will hit the road in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 to face FC Naples at Paradise Coast Sports Complex on Wednesday. The Lions return to MLS action with a home match against Houston on Saturday.