Luis Muriel’s first-half penalty kick goal was enough offense for Orlando City SC, which earned a 3-0 victory over visiting Atlanta United on Saturday.
Muriel’s goal snapped a 312-minute scoreless streak for the club, as Orlando (4-2-4, 16 points) scored for the first time since March 29, breaking a three-game streak of scoreless draws. Orlando tacked on in the second half with Alexander Freeman and Marco Pasalic’s goals. Goalkeeper Pedro Gallese tallied his fourth straight clean sheet in the win.
Atlanta (2-5-3, nine points) recorded zero shots on goal and went scoreless for the third consecutive game — all losses. United was without its leading scorer Emmanuel Latte Lath (five goals on the year), who served a one-game suspension for accumulating his fifth yellow card in last week’s loss to Philadelphia. Atlanta’s veteran goalkeeper Brad Guzan allowed three goals for the second straight game.
Orlando struck first in the 42nd minute after Atlanta’s Bartosz Slisz’s penalty in the box was confirmed by VAR and followed by Muriel’s penalty kick, which he slid past Guzan.
Orlando held possession for 59.7 percent of the first half while outshooting Atlanta 5-3. United was also called for eight fouls to Orlando’s one.
From there, Orlando had three shots in the opening minutes of the second half, with Pasalic and Duncan McGuire’s left-footed shots coming up short, while Muriel’s attempt went wide right.
Orlando then doubled its lead in the 51st minute on Freeman’s right-footed shot from the right of the box, assisted by Pasalic. The club tacked on another in the 67th minute, as Pasalic’s laser from the right of the goal was lined past Guzan.
Orlando will travel to Atlanta for a rematch on May 28.
–Field Level Media
