Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Five Takeaways

Orlando City traveled to the Garden State to take on the New York Red Bulls Saturday night. The Lions were unable to keep the winning streak alive against their Eastern Conference foe falling 3-2 to New York. Despite the loss it wasn’t all bad — though there was definitely some bad. Here are my five takeaways from the match.

My Kingdom for a Left Back

Adrian Marin returned to the starting lineup against New York and I wish he hadn’t. He wasn’t the only player culpable on the opening goal from the Red Bulls, but he didn’t close down Gustav Berggren, allowing the cross right across the face of goal for Mijahir Jimenez to tap in. To be fair, David Brekalo did nothing to defend Jimenez either. This wasn’t Marin’s only bad play. He was continually beaten by every Red Bulls attacker on his side of the pitch. He doesn’t have the pace necessary for the way Orlando City wants to play. Fortunately, he came off at the half for Bernardo Rhein. Unfortunately, Rhein had some growing pains, as the young Homegrown struggled to corral Cade Cowell.

Spicer the Super Sub

In the matches Tyrese Spicer has started, he has struggled. When he comes off the bench — no matter when that is — he has generally been outstanding. He continued that streak by scoring Orlando City’s first goal on Saturday. It was a rare triple header. Antoine Griezmann delivered the corner kick, Griffin Dorsey headed it across the front of goal from the near post, Braian Ojeda headed it from the far post back into the middle, where Spicer was waiting to head it in. This is why you don’t take short corners! Triple headers or other weird stuff happens that often results in a goal for the good. Oh, and he got an assist on Orlando’s second goal. More on that below.

Third Time’s the Harm

I know I didn’t mention the second Red Bulls goal earlier, but that’s because it was a total defensive breakdown and was way too easy for Emil Forsberg to finish. No one marked him and he came in for a relatively easy one on one against Maxime Crepeau. The third goal could have been avoided if Rhein had poked it out for a corner rather than trying (and failing) to usher it out for a goal kick. He didn’t, Cowell robbed him of it, and that set up a clear shot for Jimenez to earn his brace on the night. It ended up being the winning goal.

Still Good Crepeau

I know that you’d think a goalkeeper who allows three goals didn’t have a good night, but that wasn’t the case for Crepeau. The Red Bulls took 18 shots, nine of which were on target. One of the three that went in he had no chance to save, and the other two were difficult 1-v-1 situations that would have been miracles if he did save them. The other six shots he handled admirably. I’m not saying it was a perfect night from the Canadian, but his back line certainly hung him out to dry on the three goals.

The Good Fight

There have been times in the past when that third goal would have deflated any chance for a comeback, but that wasn’t the case Saturday night. Orlando City had already started to have the better of the ball before the third New York goal and continued to attack after. In fact, it only took three minutes for the Lions to pull a second one back. Robin Jansson sent one of his accurate long balls up the left to Spicer, who sent it across the box. Griezmann allowed it through to a late-arriving Griffin Dorsey, who easily put it in for the goal. That wasn’t the end though. The Lions continued to press the attack and win the ball. Though the club ultimately fell, it wasn’t from a lack of effort. Just a lack of precision.

That is what I saw in the disappointing loss to the New York Red Bulls. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!