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Orlando City SC suffered a cruel setback in their bid to make the 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs on Wednesday night with a late Jozy Altidore strike handing Toronto FC a 1-2 away win.
The Lions’ second successive home loss following a 17-game unbeaten streak that preceded the Seattle Sounders defeat, Jason Kreis‘ side are now beneath the line again in seventh place (28 points, 25 played).
A frustrating evening throughout, the tone was set early on when the usually clinical Cyle Larin spurned a couple of cracking chances to give Orlando City SC the impetus.
With Sebastian Giovinco being the constant menace that he is week in, week out in Major League Soccer, the Italian always had Orlando City SC‘s back four unsettled throughout the encounter.
It was Toronto FC who drew first blood on just six minutes however as Canadian international Tosaint Ricketts cashed in on a sleeping Orlando City SC defence who were caught out by a long throw before the striker coolly slotted beyond Joe Bendik.
From there on in, Orlando City SC bossed the possession but there was ultimately no penetration although City looked as if they were close to finding a route back into the game with Kaká constantly getting the better of stand-in right back Marco Delgado.
The Orlando City SC equaliser did come just 10 minutes into the second-half however as Cyle Larin turned his own performance around somewhat to head in a fantastically whipped Luke Boden centre.
While there was a momentum shift after Larin’s equaliser, Toronto FC were able to ride out Orlando City SC‘s onslaught and the Lions’ nemesis Jozy Altidore was subbed in on 58 minutes to ultimately land the sucker punch with his 85th minute winner.
A sucker punch indeed because replays confirmed that referee Chris Penso missed Altidore being in an offside position when collecting the assist.
Rounding a helpless Joe Bendik who was outstanding all evening with two fantastic saves against both Altidore himself and then Nick Hagglund in the second-half, yet again the former Toronto FC stopper was our best performer.
With just NINE regular season fixtures to go, there is no time to sulk with Patrick Vieira’s New York City in town on Sunday, knocked off their perch by Toronto FC who’ve now replaced them as the Eastern Conference leaders following yesterday’s victory.
With several changes to Jason Kreis‘ starting eleven last night, the likes of the benched Brek Shea and Julio Baptista will be fresher for potential starts against NYCFC in this double gameweek.
Orlando City SC 1 Toronto FC 2 – Highlights – August 24, 2016 (Credit: Toronto FC)
Orlando City SC vs Toronto FC, 24.08.2016
Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida
Major League Soccer
Gameweek 25
Joe Bendik | 9/10
Kevin Alston | 6/10
Seb Hines | 6/10
Tommy Redding | 6/10
Luke Boden | 7/10
Antonio Nocerino | 7/10
Tony Rocha | 7/10
Kevin Molino | 6/10
Matías Pérez García | 7/10
Kaká | 7/10
Cyle Larin | 6/10
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