In a meeting of two of the top strikers in Major League Soccer, it was a backup defensive midfielder who made the difference on the scoresheet.
Orlando City SC edged the New York Red Bulls 1-0 on Sunday as Servando Carrasco headed home a well-worked corner kick routine by the Lions – his first MLS goal in open play – to extend City's perfect record at their brand-new stadium to 3-0.
Both Cyle Larin and Bradley Wright-Phillips carved out several good looks at goal, but it was Carrasco – coming off the bench in relief of the injured Antonio Nocerino 17 minutes after kickoff – who decided the vibrant, hard-fought Eastern Conference clash.
Goals
- 34' – ORL – Servando Carrasco Watch
Three Things
RED BULLS, ICE COLD
: After winning their first two games of the season, New York
are now 0-3-1
in their last four, a stretch in which they've scored just twice. The usually prolific BWP has epitomized the struggles. In Orlando he worked as hard as ever, taking five shots (four of them on target) and seeing a goal waved off by a (seemingly correct) offside call. It's unclear just what will end this slump.
GO LONG
: OCSC bypassed the fearsome Red Bulls press by playing a highly direct style intended to reduce exposure to mistakes and turnovers in their own end. It contributed to a grisly
61 percent passing completion
percentage, but thanks to Carrasco's early goal, they didn't have to take many unnecessary risks. And had Larin finished off
a 1-on-1
with
Luis Robles
in the 67th minute, they would have had a comfortable home stretch.
