Orlando City SC 1, New York City FC 0 | 2017 MLS Match Recap

Not even injuries to their two top players could spoil Orlando's housewarming party.


On Sunday evening, in the club’s stadium opener, Cyle Larin scored the game’s only goal to lift Orlando City SC to a 1-0 win over New York City FC in a marquee opening-weekend matchup between 2015 expansion sides.


Larin later exited midway through the second half with cramping but the more serious injury scare came in the 11th minute when Kaká was forced out with a left hamstring strain.


Still, Orlando City left the sell-out crowd that packed their sparkling new stadium happy as Joe Bendik made a few big saves to fend off NYC’s high-powered attack and earn the shutout.



Goals


  • 15' – ORL – Cyle Larin WATCH


Three Things


HOME, SWEET HOME
: The best part of Sunday's game may have actually happened before kickoff as the entire stadium sang the national anthem in unison and
fans unveiled some very cool tifo
. Orlando head coach Jason Kreis admitted afterwards the game itself didn't necessarily feature the best soccer. But it's clear that the atmosphere at
freshly minted Orlando City Stadium
is going to prove daunting for all opponents, as it was for NYCFC.

  • A FITTING FIRST GOAL: It was only natural for Larin to open the Orlando City Stadium scoring account. The star Canadian forward had bagged 31 goals in his first two MLS seasons and is setting the bar even higher in 2017. Orlando City fans will just have to hope his cramping, and Kaka's hamstring injury, don't prove to be serious as the Lions look to put together a winning streak to open an important season for them.

  • CHANCES BUT NO GOALS: NYCFC proved to be the more dangerous team for most of the game, finishing with seven shots on target to Orlando's one. But Bendik was phenomenal to keep David Villa, Jack Harrison and company out of the goal. And veteran center back Jonathan Spector, in his first MLS game, also came through with a big-time performance en route to the shutout.

  • They Said It

    Next Up


    • ORL: Saturday, March 11 – at NE (2 pm ET | MLS LIVE)
    • NYC: Sunday, March 12 – vs. DC (2 pm ET | MLS LIVE