Orlando City Takes Out the Red Bulls

The New York Red Bull enters tonight’s match with Orlando within striking distance of a playoff spot despite being one of the lowest goal-scoring teams in the league. Orlando has beaten the NY Red Bull in three previous three meetings, including a 1 – 0 victory back on February 25th, The Lions have won four straight games against a single opponent in all competitions just once in the club’s history, winning five in a row over the Columbus Crew 2018 – 2021.

The Red Bull enter having won 8 of their last 9 matches (W5D3) including winning each of their last two MLS matches at Red Bull Arena. NY hasn’t allowed more than one goal in each of those nine matches, conceding a total of six goals. Orlando enters having only lost one of its six regular season away matches this season (W3D2L1). They’re just one of three teams this season with such a feat the other two being FC Cincinnati and LAFC). Only FCC and Minnesota Utd (12 each) have collected more points on the road this season, Orlando has (11). Look for a tight match that will most likely be won late in the match.

Troy Lesesne appears to be all in on Tom Barlow despite the fact he has just 13 goals in 5 years of playing. This is bottom-of-the-league ranking talent for a guy paid to score goals. It would be one thing if Troy had no one else to play but he has Belgian star Dante Vanzeir, Cory Burke, Elias Manoel, Luquinhas, Wiki Carmona, and more. Is he playing for sale value in July? We shall see what happens with Barlow, he is a great kid but not a great soccer player.

The first half has started tight and slow, with neither team making any real progress against the other’s midfield or backline through the first 10′. The Red Bulls are the team that stands by and watches their forwards haul ass, and no one makes a supportive run.

Cory Burke had created an amazing opportunity off of a great long-distance cross by John Tolkin and Barlow just stood and watched along with Stroud and others in the 11′ now in the 14′ Dru Yearwood accelerates and creates a dangerous chance, his pass was cleared for a corner kick.

Holy flopping goalkeeper on that corner kick, that was not a foul on Sean Nealis, and the flop denied a goal-scoring opportunity for the Red Bull. Orlando scores in the 18′ the forward appeared well offside, but the VAR check says he was onside, Coronel will want that one back he had Dylan Nealis in support and never challenged the shooter.

I. Angulo is credited with the goal and the assist is awarded to W. Cartagena and C. Araujo. The score stands at 1 – 0 for the Lions as we enter the 23′ of play. The goalkeeper flops again for a call, seriously can we start carding the floppers and end this stain on the beautiful game?

The center is going to have a long night if he is ok with letting Orlando flop like fish out of water and delaying the restart of play anytime, they wish. So, in the 28′ of play, we witnessed that P. Gallese can stand perfectly fine when his teammates truck him, but if the opponent breathes, he falls in a heap. In the 30′ Dru Yearwood is issued a yellow card around the 35-yard mark, reason unknown.

The fans have had enough of the man in the middle and Orlando and the place is rocking louder than we have ever heard the arena in a long time. In the 33′ Luquinhas is fouled just outside the box by millimeters at most. No yellow card is issued on the foul, which is mind-blowing, free kick is taken right into the wall, flicked outside, crossed back in and Ndam heads it wide of the 2nd post.

The place is electric inside the arena, something we’ve been waiting for all season. Orlando continues to flop, and no punishment is given, Troy Lesesne is furious on the sideline.

Surprising news Barlow screws up a breakaway all alone for the 1000th time of his career in the 38′, we should be all tied up, but we have Tom Barlow instead of Dante, Elias, et al. The arena is not even close to tomorrow’s expected attendance for Gotham and it’s electric, can only imagine how loud the place will be tomorrow. Regardless of who is playing Red Bull Arena is finally rocking again, it’s a sight many have waited to see and hear.

Cory Burke is clearly frustrated with the inconsistency in calls tonight, the Red Bull barely touches someone, and it’s a foul all day long, Orlando dives, flops, and runs players over not a peep. The fourth official shows 5′ minimum, Orlando dives to the ground to stop a quick throw-in by the Red Bull and the referee allows it for a non-head injury.

It’s a miracle he can walk again!!! It’s amazing how a trainer can say hi and heal players. In the 45’+3′ Reyes is shown a yellow card, and the fourth official asks Troy to calm down, he just saw his best player get his ankle annihilated and no whistle, his center back commits the same act, and right away the whistle blows, and a yellow card is shown.

There was an apparent VR check and no clue why, then Orlando takes out Carlos Coronel, after great protest finally the center shows a yellow to Orlando in the 45’+6′, and the card was shown to R. Jansson.

In the final seconds of the first half, Tom Barlow misses two golden opportunities at goal in a row, someone go buy this kid some luck. Then he misleads Dru Yearwood away from the goal instead of in on goal, the referee ends the half.

You can’t beat an official is the going theme in Red Bull matches of late, one governing body is not the answer in this sport. Troy needs to end the Barlow project and let his true goal-scorers lose if they want any chance to tie or win this match. Morgan is warming up with a trainer during half time, maybe we will finally see him make a home appearance for his side.

Morgan enters the match for Tom Barlow to start the second half, in the 47′ Reyes picks up his second yellow card and is shown a red card. Not long after that, the official awards a penalty kick to Orlando in the 50′, and a yellow card is also shown to S. Nealis for the foul. In the 52′ the penalty kick is converted by F. Torress.

Now the Orlando diving team sees one of their divers magically heal himself after wasting a bunch of time first. Orlando brings on Felipe Martins for Araujo in the 56′. Dru Yearwood with a nice bender but it goes just wide of the far post. Both teams will be making substitutions for the Red Bulls Dante Vanzeir and Frankie Amaya will enter the match for Luquinhas and Yearwood, and Orlando brings on Ojeda and McGuire for Kara and Pereyra in the 63′.

The fans refuse to give up and try to get the Red Bull back in the match, Morgan just misses connecting with Burke in the box. Stroud is on a different planet from his teammates with that pass to his coach being the only member nearby. Elias Manoel will enter the match at the next stoppage for the Red Bull, first, the corner kick finds Burke, but he heads it into danger, the Red Bulls are outnumbered going back, and they see Orlando gain their 3rd goal of the match.

The goal is scored by Torress in the 72′ and now Manoel enters the match for C. Burke. Orlando is starting to open up the desperate Red Bulls side who are down a man due to the Red Card to start the 2nd half. No one has left the arena despite the scoreline of 3 – 0 in the 77′ of play. The wave has broken out in the lower bowl of the arena.

The wave continues and Troy is going to the bench again, it has to be a defensive sub to save his back line, which is hurting right now, Duncan will replace Stroud in the midfield. The move is interesting given the last match when Duncan gave up a Penalty kick in the opening minutes of the match. Not exactly what this team needs right now down three goals.

The Keeper for Orlando is down again, in such great pain he would be a 10 out of 10 on the nurse’s pain chart at the local emergency room. Sean Nealis runs over to see why the delay is so long, the center is letting the goalie milk every minute he can. Well look at that he can play again!!! This man has had more miracles performed on him tonight than the bible has listed or any other holy book. Now another player is down for Orlando, where do they find these guys, the LeBron James school of soccer? Seriously though the score isn’t the only ugly thing about this match, Orlando has been a disgrace to the beautiful game all match long.

The game is entering its final minutes of play, and this has been by far Troy Lesesne’s worst match at the head. Can’t really pin this one on him too much, he can’t control the referee or Tom Barlow’s lack of scoring.

Now Lewis Morgan and gets into a heated exchange with R. Santos of Orlando and Santos gets a yellow card for his actions. The fourth indicates a minimum of 8′ added and Morgan is hurting, looks like he re-aggravated his injury. He is frustrated and can’t believe it; the Red Bull really can’t afford to lose him for any more time this season.

He walks off under his own power and is in tears with his coach, Troy is shutting him down for the rest of the match, and his teammates try to console him, The Red Bull are playing with 9 men now. The Red Bull fall 3 – 0 at home to Orlando and may have lost Morgan for the season. Will be something to keep an eye on this week to see what his status is. The team will be without Reyes in their next match and may have lost Lewis Morgan in the process who had just returned to the first team.