Orlando City SC vs. Columbus Crew SC | MLS Match Preview

MLSsoccer staff

Orlando City SC vs. Columbus Crew SC
Citrus Bowl, Orlando, Fla.
Aug. 1, 2015 (MLS Game #217)
7:30 pm ET (MLS LIVE, FOX 35/MY65, TWCSC-OH)

Orlando City SC and Columbus Crew SC meet for a third time this season in a vital match for both clubs’ ambitions when they face off Saturday evening at the Citrus Bowl. Orlando City are in the throes of a three-game losing slide, the longest of their MLS history, tied for sixth place and the final playoff position after a 5-3 loss at New York City FC last weekend. Crew SC are solidly in second place in the conference, despite being hauled back into a 3-3 home draw last weekend with Toronto FC.

Orlando City SC have lost three consecutive games for the first time in their MLS existence, conceding a season-high five goals in a 5-3 defeat by New York City FC on Sunday at Yankee Stadium.
Cyle Larin hit for a hat trick in the NYCFC loss, the first of his professional career. Larin has nine goals this season, tied for the fourth-most by a rookie in MLS history, and two goals away from the all-time rookie single-season record.
Kei Kamara scored for a third consecutive game – moving his MLS Golden Boot-leading total to 15 goals – and Ethan Finlay scored for a second straight game, but Crew SC saw their two-game winning run ended as Toronto FC came back to grab a 3-3 tie on Saturday in Columbus.
The teams are meeting for the third time this season. Federico Higuaín and Kei Kamara each had a goal and an assist as Crew SC rolled to a 3-0 victory April 18 at Mapfre Stadium. On May 30, City’s Pedro Ribeiro scored a late goal to leave the teams in a 2-2 draw at the Citrus Bowl.

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REFEREE: Ricardo Salazar. AR1 (bench): Chris Strickland; AR2 (opposite): Kevin Klinger; 4th: Marcos de Oliveira
MLS Career: 206 games; FC/gm: 26.7; Y/gm: 3.4; R: 58; pens: 70

SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: ORL: Carlos Rivas … CLB: Waylon Francis, Kei Kamara, Mohammed Saeid
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: ORL: Kevin Molino, Darwin Ceren, Brek Shea, Rafael Ramos … CLB: Kevan George, Hector Jimenez, Emanuel Pogatetz, Justin Meram, Federico Higuain, Tony Tchani
DISABLED LIST: none
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none

HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (2 meetings): Orlando City SC 0 wins, 2 goals … Crew SC 1 win, 5 goals … Ties 1
AT ORLANDO (1 meeting): Orlando City SC 0 wins, 2 goals … Crew SC 0 wins, 2 goals … Ties 1

2015 (MLS)
4/18: CLB 3, ORL 0 (Higuain 32; Meram 55; Kamara 60)
5/30: ORL 2, CLB 2 (Kaka 17; Ribeiro 89 – Tchani 6; Kamara 61)

The teams are meeting for the third time this season. Federico Higuaín and Kei Kamara each had a goal and an assist as Crew SC rolled to a 3-0 victory April 18 at Mapfre Stadium. On May 30, City’s Pedro Ribeiro scored a late goal to leave the teams in a 2-2 draw at the Citrus Bowl.
Coaches record: Gregg Berhalter vs. ORL: P2 W1 L0 T1 … Adrian Heath vs. CLB: P2 W0 L1 T1

LAST MEETING (MLS)

Crew SC were in the lead in only the sixth minute as Tony Tchani leaped to bury an eight-yard header in the bottom corner from Hector Jimenez’s pinpoint cross.
But the match turned in the 16th minute when Kaká’s far-post shot struck Crew SC defender Michael Parkhurst on the arm right on the goal line and referee Silviu Petrescu ruled the defender moved his arm towards the ball enough to justify a penalty kick and an immediate red card. Kaká then duly leveled the match from the spot.
Despite being a man down, it was the visitors who went ahead in the 61st minute. Crew SC Left back Waylon Francis forged clear on the wing and his cross was perfect for Kei Kamara to nod home from the edge of the six-yard box.
Yet Orlando City had one final answer. Pedro Ribeiro pounced on a loose ball in the Columbus half and drove goalward before letting fly with an opportunistic low drive from 25 yards that buried itself in the lower left corner of Steve Clark's goal.
ORLANDO CITY SC (4-2-3-1): Tally Hall - Rafael Ramos, Seb Hines, Sean St. Ledger, Luke Boden - Cristian Higuita, Darwin Ceren - Eric Avila (Lewis Neal 73), Kaka, Carlos Rivas (Martin Paterson 66) - Cyle Larin (Pedro Ribeiro 72).
COLUMBUS CREW SC (4-2-3-1): Steve Clark - Hector Jimenez (Chris Klute 64), Michael Parkhurst (ejected 16), Tyson Wahl, Waylon Francis - Mohammed Saeid, Tony Tchani - Ethan Finlay, Federico Higuain (Emanuel Pogatetz 19), Justin Meram (Kristinn Steindorsson 46) - Kei Kamara.