In classic Orlando City fashion, the Lions found themselves trailing early on, but a second-half surge catapulted them to their sixth straight victory.
Two goals in four minutes from Dom Dwyer and Lamine Sané along with a strike from Yoshimar Yotún locked Orlando City a 3-1 victory over Real Salt Lake on Sunday afternoon at Orlando City Stadium.
“It says a lot that we can continue to come back from difficult situations,” Orlando coach Jason Kreis said. “Being a goal down in the first half, I thought after we started so incredibly rightly. [It] was difficult for the guys, and I think the beginning of the second half there were some difficulties again, but we continued to push, we continued to believe, we continued to stay together and get the result. I think in the end, we deserved.”
RSL (3-5-1, 10 points) opened the scoring early when a long ball played from Damir Kreilach connected with Corey Baird who was able to beat Sané to strike the ball past goalkeeper Joe Bendik.
After several missed chances in the first half, Orlando (6-2-1, 19 points) turned up at the hour mark when a cross from Sacha Kljestan saw Dom Dwyer head the ball past Nick Rimando to equalize the game. Moments later, Sané scored the go-ahead goal after heading a corner kick from Yoshimar Yotún in the 63rd minute.
Dwyer now has six goals in six appearances for the Lions.
Yotún capped the scoring in the 78th minute after a strike from Dwyer was rebounded off Rimando finding the Peruvian to strike from close range to make it 3-1.
The announced attendance on Sunday at Orlando City Stadium was 23,258.
It was the first time this season Chris Schuler started for Orlando.
Designated player Josue Colman was not named to the final game day roster, according to Kreis the Paraguayan international broke a rule in the locker room before the match and the team took disciplinary action.
The Lions hosts Atlanta United next week on May 13 at 6 p.m.
Here’s how the Lions lined up:
Orlando City XI: Bendik; El-Munir, Sane, Schuler, Johnson; Higuita, Yotun; Kljestan, Mueller, Meram, Dwyer.
Orlando bench: Edwards Jr., Allen, Pinho, PC, Rosell, Toia, Laryea.
Highlights
(Photo Courtesy of Orlando City SC)
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