Orlando City hands FC Cincinnati 5-1 thrashing
Despite Darren Mattocks giving FC Cincinnatti an early 24th minute goal, Orlando City responded positively to smash home five goals for the biggest win of Head Coach James O’Connor reign on Sunday afternoon.
In the first ever meeting of the two sides, two goals a piece from Tesho Akindele and Nani as well as a late strike from Dom Dwyer saw the home side comfortably defeat the expansion side.
Nani’s brace is his second in MLS, and the former Manchester United and Portugal national team star now has six goals in his last six appearances. Akindele’s was his fourth multi-goal performance of his MLS career, his last coming on July 4 of last year when he found the net twice in the a 15-minute supersub cameo to help Dallas to a 3-2 win over Atlanta.
“Obviously very pleased, not just with the result, I thought overall the mentality of the players was excellent,” said Orlando Head Coach James O’Connor. “To play at three o’clock in Florida is a test, a mental test, and I thought the mentality of the players showed – going a goal down and then coming back and reacting the way they did. I just said there, on TV, the supporters have been fantastic. We’ve gone a goal down and the supporters are trying to encourage the players, really trying to lift them and get them going and they played a big part again tonight, like they always do.”
Lineups/Substitutions:
Orlando City SC – GK Brian Rowe; D Ruan, Robin Jansson, Lamine Sané; M João Moutinho, Will Johnson, Sebastián Méndez, Christian Higuita (Josué Colmán 78’); F Nani © (Dom Dwyer 67’ ©), Chris Mueller (Benji Michel 85’), Tesho Akindele
Substitutes Not Used: GK Greg Ranjitsingh; D Kyle Smith, Kamal Miller; M Uri Rosell
FC Cincinnati – GK Spencer Richey; D Greg Garza (Alvas Powell 10’), Kendall Waston ©, Justin Hoyte, Mathieu Deplagne; M Frankie Amaya, Victor Ulloa, Eric Alexander; F Kekuta Manneh (Kenny Saief 65’), Darren Mattocks (Fanendo Adi 64’), Emmanuel Ledesma
Substitutes Not Used: GK Przemyslaw Tyton; D Nick Hagglund; M Caleb Stanko, Nazmi Albadawi
Attendance: 22,341
