ORLANDO – It took them six tries, but Orlando City SC finally registered their first MLS home win on Sunday, turning in a dominant performance to smash the LA Galaxy 4-0 in front of a crowd of 40,122 at the Citrus Bowl.
Orlando ran rampant against a makeshift LA backline that was playing without star defender Omar Gonzalez and forced into using regular midfielder Baggio Husidic at left back, scoring in the 12th, 34th, 56th and 73rd minutes to move into fifth-place in the Eastern Conference with a 3-5-3 record.
Eric Avila got things started for the Lions, putting the punctuation on a fantastic team move to give Orlando the early lead. Defender Rafael Ramos fired a cross from the right to Brek Shea at the back post, with the US international laying his header into the path of Avila for a smart headed finish from eight yards out.
LA didn’t respond well after conceding the early goal, allowing Orlando to take complete control of the match as they struggled to sort out issues – and limit turnovers – in the back.
The Galaxy were punished again in the 34th minute, when 2015 No. 1 SuperDraft pick Cyle Larin finished off a counterattack to double Orlando’s advantage. Kaká provided the assist, running onto a through ball on the left wing and ditching Galaxy defender Tommy Meyer outside the box before squaring a ball to Larin for his third goal in as many games.
Orlando continued their dominance in the second half, with Kaká burying a penalty kick to give the expansion club a 3-0 lead in the 56th minute. The Brazilian Designated Player ran onto a Cristian Higuita through ball in the left side of the box, where he was tripped by Galaxy ‘keeper Jaime Penedo. Kaká had no problem with the ensuing spot kick, sending Penedo the wrong way as he buried his shot into the left side of the net.
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Midfielder Darwin Ceren – who forced Penedo into a fantastic save in the 59th – added Orlando’s fourth in the 73rd, rifling a shot from distance that deflected off of a Galaxy defender, past a helpless Penedo and inside the right post.
Both sides will return to action next weekend, with LA hosting Houston on Friday night at StubHub Center (10:30 pm ET, Univision Deportes) and Orlando hitting the road to take on the San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday at Avaya Stadium (7 pm ET, Fox Sports 1).
