Orlando City 2, New England Revolution 2 | 2016 MLS Match Recap

Arielle Castillo

Sunday’s afternoon home match at the Citrus Bowl started off with plenty of sparks (and more than 36,000 fans in attendance). Just 15 seconds in, Orlando City’s Julio Baptista drew a penalty in the box, with Kaká taking—and converting—the resulting PK and putting Orlando City on the board in just the second minute.

But Orlando, with a lineup shuffled around due to injuries, couldn’t match those early theatrics in the ensuing minutes. Sloppy defense allowed the Revs’ Teal Bunbury to equalize for the visitors in the 37th minute.

Both teams made interesting substitutions in the second half. In the 61st minute Orlando City subbed out Adrian Winter and Carlos Rivas, and subbed in Kevin Molino and Cyle Larin, as the latter came off the bench in the wake of a reported hamstring tweak. For their part, the Revs sent on Charlie Davies for Diego Fagundez just two minutes later.

Orlando's subs managed to shift the game's energy. And, as the minutes drained in stoppage time, Molino looked to save the day, putting the visitors up 2-1.

But just minutes later, a controversial and confusing sequence of events ensued. Referee Baldomero Toledo called a handball on Servando Carrasco in the penalty area and pointed to the spot, allowing the Revs' Lee Nguyen to convert a PK for the equalizer. Both teams came away with a point after a 2-2 draw, with nobody exactly thrilled at the result.

More to come....

Box Score

2' -- ORL -- Kaká (PK)
37' -- NE -- Teal Bunbury (Gershon Koffie, Chris Tierney)
90' + 2' -- ORL -- Kevin Molino
90' + 6' -- NE -- Lee Nguyen (PK)
Full box score
Stats
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Three Things

1. HANDBALL OR NOT? We know what everyone in MLS-land will be debating for the next few days….

2. MORE HISTORY FOR KAKÁ: Kaká’s penalty kick made for the fastest-ever PK goal in league history. It wasn’t the fastest-ever penalty kick, period, though—two were made in the first minute of play in two different games in 1997. Read more on this stat here.

3. BUNBURY MAKES GOOD: Bunbury’s time in the first six weeks of the 2016 MLS season has yielded plenty of disappointment and missed chances. His 37th-minute goal finally made good, marking his first this year.