The Lions came out of the gates blazing, in the 13th minute Seb Hines connected on a header that found the back of the net with the goal coming from a set piece from Kaká. This set the tone for the rest of the match.
Orlando City’s momentum carried them to a second goal, again coming from a Kaká assist. This time, it was a give and go to Brek Shea drilling the ball to the upper right corner in the 32nd minute.
The Lions dominated in an aggressive first half, winning 58% of duels, and got off eight shots to Portland’s five. Seven of those eight shots from Orlando City came from inside the box.
In the second half, City continued right where they left off, as the Heineken Man of the Match Kaká, fired the ball from inside the 18, sailing it past the keeper. This gave Orlando City a commanding 3-0 lead in the 48th.
In the 76th minute, added insult to injury after a Portland take down in the box. Kaká handed the ball to Kevin Molino, kissing his head, telling him that the team believes in him in true Brazilian fashion. The confidence radiated as Molino then scored the PK. This made it 4 nil.
Orlando City controlled the match throughout, until the 89th minute when Portland’s Jack Mclnerney got a last minute goal with an assist from Diego Valeri. This ended the Lions bid for a clean sheet.
Despite the late goal for the Timbers, Orlando City’s manager Adrian Heath was very pleased with the team and believes that they can build off this win, “[We had] exceptional plays, great goals and big performances from a lot of players,” said Heath postgame. “As I said to the players after the game, if we believe in what we do and play with that same intensity, then certainly, in this place with our supporters behind us, we are a formidable force to deal with.”
The final score ended in a 4-1 victory over the Portland Timbers. The players, coaches, and fans alike, celebrated the win exuberantly. The Lions now look ahead to their next match on the road against second ranked Philadelphia in the Eastern Conference. Kickoff from PPL Park is scheduled for 7:00pm on Friday, April 8th..