Duncan McGuire scored in stoppage time to give Orlando City a dramatic victory, 3-2, Saturday night over visiting Nashville SC.
Martin Ojeda scored two goals in a span of two minutes in the first half for Orlando (14-7-9, 51 points), which won its fifth straight at home.
The Lions moved a step closer to clinching a berth in the MLS playoffs. With a win in one of its last four matches, Orlando will clinch its sixth straight postseason berth.
While the Lions have built a winning streak at home, the victory ended a slump as they were winless in their last four all-competition matches, including a 5-1 loss at Nashville four weeks ago.
Hany Mukhtar and Jacob Shaffelburg scored for Nashville (15-11-5, 50 points), which has lost six of its last seven MLS matches, stalling its bid to clinch its fifth playoff berth in the last six seasons.
McGuire’s goal came in the fifth minute of stoppage time as a cross from the left side by Tyrese Spicer found McGuire alone at the left post. With a deft one-touch, McGuire popped in the shot with his left foot.
Moments later, Orlando City keeper Pedro Gallese (four saves) stopped a header by Nashville keeper Joe Willis who came forward to try to score off a corner kick by Hany Mukhtar.
Ojeda gave Orlando a 1-0 lead in the 30th minute, scoring on a free kick from 20 yards out. With a left-footed laser that caromed off the inside of the right post, Ojeda cashed after Nashville’s Edvard Tagseth drew a yellow card.
Two minutes later, Ojeda scored again off a feed from Kyle Smith. Moving to his left, Ojeda slipped a left-footed shot across his body and across the penalty box, beating Willis, who finished with four saves.
After failing to put a shot on goal in the first 44 minutes, Nashville suddenly rose to the challenge at the end of the first half.
Chasing a rebound of his own shot which banged off the left post, Mukhtar scored into the bottom right corner to cut the deficit in half, 2-1.
Then in the 51st minute, Jacob Shaffelburg, who entered at halftime, scored off a cross from Daniel Lovitz.
–Field Level Media
