Orlando City hammers English Premier League side West Bromwich Albion
In front of 15,172 fans at the Citrus Bowl tonight, Orlando City defeated English Premier League side West Bromwich Albion 3-1.
All three of Orlando City’s Designated Players found the back of the net in the same game for the first time this season, as the Lions delivered a clinical performance in overcoming the men from the Midlands region of the United Kingdom.
The victory marked the Lions’ third win in nine international friendlies against high level teams in five years – previously defeating Newcastle United 1-0 and Brazilian Serie A side Ponte Preta 3-2 at the Citrus Bowl.
Albion controlled the opening stages and they went ahead in the 13th minute when Calum McManaman’s finish ended up in the right hand corner of the net after taking a slight deflection off Aurélien Collin’s right knee. Orlando got back on level terms on the stroke of half time as Kaká (pictured above) demonstrated his class and his pace to race 45 yards through the Albion defence to score with an emphatic finish from 15 yards into the left corner of the net.
Two minutes into the second half, Rivas added a second goal for Orlando. After earlier setting up Kaká’s finish, the Colombian curled a magical free-kick from 30-yards away into the top corner at the near-post leaving Boaz Myhill in the Albion net wondering what had happened to him.
It was the perfect start for Orlando as Head Coach Adrian Heath made three substitutions to begin the second half, bringing on Earl Edwards Jr., Conor Donovan and Pedro Ribeiro for Donovan Ricketts, Aurélien Collin and Kaká. The youngsters all did well as Orlando dominated the game with five teenagers on the field in the second half and they capped off the night with a third goal as Bryan Róchez (pictured above) added the final blow in the 86th minute, tucking away Pedro Ribeiro’s well-placed ball past Myhill.
“I’m delighted. I thought we were excellent,” said head coach Adrian Heath. “I look at the team at the end, we had five guys under 20 years old on the field. Kaka got a great goal, reminiscent of about 1997. It looks like we’re all okay apart from Harrison, we’ll have a look at how he is in the morning. It looks like we’ve come through pretty unscathed.”
West Brom manager Tony Pulis was very complimentary towards the men in purple after the game, “I was pleased first half, obviously the goal killed us right before half time. By the second goal you’re chasing the game, legs are getting tired. The third goal was a poor goal, a really poor goal. The people involved in the football club deserve a lot of credit. We knew this was going to be a really tough game, not because of the weather or the AstroTurf which is different, it’s because they’ve got some good players and they move the ball around greatly. First half we played, second half we looked really tired. When you’re chasing the game it’s difficult. But it’s a really good workout for us and that’s what we want.”
Lineups/Substitutions:
Orlando City SC – GK Donovan Ricketts (Earl Edwards Jr. 46’), D Amobi Okugo, Tyler Turner, Aurélien Collin (Conor Donovan 46’), Luke Boden, M Estrela, Harrison Heath (Tommy Redding 29’), Carlos Rivas (Eric Avila 59’), Kaká (Pedro Ribeiro 46’) , F Danny Mwanga, Bryan Róchez
West Bromwich Albion – GK Boaz Myhill, D Craigh Dawson, Gareth McAuley, Jonas Olsson (Joleon Lescott 46’), Chris Brunt (Craig Gardner 46’), M James McLean, Darren Fletcher, Calum McManaman (Sebastian Pocognoli 77’), James Morrison, Claudio Yacob, F Brown Ideye
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