Late goals from substitutes Ramiro Enrique and Nicolas Rodriguez gave Orlando City SC a 3-1 win over visiting Sporting Kansas City on Saturday in a game delayed by more than three hours because of weather.
A 1-1 deadlock was broken by Enrique in the 76th minute, just five minutes after the striker entered the match. Enrique received a pass from Martin Ojeda in the box, then created space amidst three Kansas City players before his left-footed shot found the back of the net.
Enrique’s eighth goal of the season was quickly followed by the first MLS goal of Rodriguez’s career. Rodriguez’s 83rd-minute tally came six minutes after the 21-year-old striker took the field.
The Lions (13-6-8, 47 points) are 6-0-1 in their last seven matches in all competitions, including a four-match winning streak in regular-season action.
Tyrese Spicer also scored for Orlando City, who moved up to a tie for fourth place in the Eastern Conference with Saturday’s win.
Ojeda earned his 14th assist of the season on Enrique’s goal. Ojeda has at least one goal or assist in each of his last 12 regular-season matches, tying him for the second-longest goal contribution streak in MLS history.
Dejan Joveljic had the only goal for Sporting Kansas City (6-14-6, 24 points), who are 0-4-1 in their last five matches. The winless drought has dropped SKC eight points under the Western Conference playoff line.
Orlando City came out firing after the long wait with Spicer’s one-touch goal in the second minute. Saturday marked Spicer’s first start and second overall match with the Lions since being acquired from Toronto FC in a trade on Aug. 1.
After the early concession, Kansas City responded with about 25 minutes of sustained attack. Mason Toye was the driver of the offense, including a near-miss in the 20th minute and a hard shot that required a Pedro Gallese save in the 23rd.
Toye’s efforts paid off with the equalizer in the 25th minute, as the forward maneuvered around Gallese and fired the ball towards the open net. Just before the ball crossed the line, Joveljic tapped it over for something of a vulture goal, and the striker’s team-leading 14th tally of the season.
–Field Level Media
