Orlando City vs. Montreal Impact: Five Takeaways

Well, I guess you can say we really have seen it all this season.

Orlando City’s playoff hopes had faded to just a flicker when Hines, the unlikeliest of heroes, breathed life into its postseason dreams.

As they went six games unbeaten (four wins), all looked to be setting up ideal for the club that fired Frank Klopas midseason, but there was another team in the race for sixth that kept winning themselves: Orlando City South Carolina. On Saturday night, Montreal and Orlando City faced off at the Citrus, with the expansion Lions claiming their fourth-straight victory with a 2-1 triumph.

If Orlando City falls short of making the playoffs in its first season, at least it’ll have the memories of what felt like a playoff game last night against the Impact. “And hopefully it’ll mean something come the end of the season”. Orlando City’s bench sure can prove to be deep when it needs to be.

The win pulled Orlando City to just one point behind the Impact in the Eastern Conference standings, but Montreal has two more games than Orlando to play.

The Lions” hopes of taking a lead into the intermission were dashed in the 43rd minute, however, when Oduro toe-poked the ball out of the hands of fallen “keeper Tally Hall and into the net, drawing furious protests from the Orlando side but leveling the score nonetheless.

Cyle Larin opened the scoring for Orlando in the 33rd minute, extending his rookie scoring record to 15 goals.

“He is not comfortable with the idea of playing on artificial turf”, Montreal coach Mauro Biello said on Wednesday.

It was about the only break Orlando City would get in the first 45 minutes.

Crew goalkeeper Steve Clark tried to kick the ball to Harrison Afful, but it was intercepted by a charging Connor Lade.

In addition, Kaká was issued a yellow card after a confrontation with Montreal’s Johan Venegas in which he whipped his arm back at the Impact player.

New York City FC remains alive in the Major League Soccer playoff race to play a meaningful soccer game another day. Both left the game on stretchers after a seven-minute delay.

Despite the bad breaks, the Lions pushed ahead in search of the game-winner in the second half.