Facundo Torres scored on a penalty kick in the 56th minute as Orlando City held on for a 1-0 victory over the visiting New York Red Bulls Saturday night in the season opener for both teams.
Orlando City (1-0-0, 3 points) began its ninth MLS season by capitalizing on a miscue by New York (0-1-0).
After New York’s Sean Nealis was called for a handball in the penalty area, Torres was awarded a penalty kick. He easily converted his 10th career MLS goal when he took a left-footed shot that sailed by Carlos Coronel when the New York goalkeeper dove to his left.
Orlando City goalkeeper Pedro Gallese recorded his 20th career clean sheet by making four saves, including a stop on Cristian Casseres Jr. in the 88th before Orlando City withstood eight minutes of stoppage time.
After Torres scored, he nearly gave Orlando a two-goal lead 10 minutes later but his left-footed attempt from outside the box following a set piece missed to the right.
Coronel was not credited with a save as Orlando took five other shots besides Torres’ penalty kick.
New York finished with 14 shots but six missed the net and four were blocked. One of New York’s big misses came in the sixth minute of stoppage time when Lewis Morgan was unable to score.
Morgan also missed another scoring chance in the 52nd when his right-footed attempt sailed to the left. That came after New York took seven shots in the opening half.
New York nearly scored in the 10th minute but Frankie Amaya’s right-footed shot from well outside of the box sailed wide left. A minute later, a similar shot by Morgan from close range also sailed to the left.
Martin Ojeda nearly scored in the 18th for Orlando but was unable to connect on a header from right in front of the net.
In the 22nd, Morgan was unable to bury a left-footed shot from the left side of the box and four minutes later Amaya fired wide again after Morgan had a shot blocked.
The Red Bulls missed another scoring opportunity late in the first half when Cameron Harper had a shot blocked in the box.
–Field Level Media
