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Gameday Report: June 7, Week 11

By USLLeagueOne.com Staff, 06/07/19, 9:45PM EDT

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Orlando extends unbeaten run to four with win over Madison

orlando city b (2) v forward madison fc (1) 

Key Events:

Rafael Santos opened the scoring in the 23rd minute after a Forward Madison turnover in its defensive third. Thiago Souza forced the turnover and played Santos. The center forward picked up the pass and drove towards goal before firing a long-range shot into the top corner, beating goalkeeper Brian Sylvestre. The goal was Santos’ second in two matches, both coming from distance.  

Souza doubled the advantage for the hosts in the 63rd minute, capping of a lethal counterattack following a Forward Madison free kick from just outside Orlando’s penalty area. After a poor serve from the set piece, Orlando’s Serginho clipped a ball in behind the Madison defense. Souza ran onto the pass, beat his defender, and curled a right-footed shot past Sylvestre to score his third goal of the season.

Substitute Brian Bement capped off a good piece of play by Madison in the 89th minute, shrugging off his defender and cheekily clipping the ball over onrushing Orlando goalkeeper Christian Herrera to cut the deficit in half.

Despite conceding late, Orlando saw the match out and earned its third win at home this season. 

Takeaways:

ORLANDO ON THE RISE - After failing to win in its opening seven matches, Orlando City B has earned three wins in its previous four, moving up to seventh in the League One standings and putting themselves firmly in the top-four conversation.

MINGOS FLOUNDERING - Madison has now lost four straight matches and sit in 10th place in League One, with the club’s last league win came on May 4th. The Flamingos showed urgency after conceding the second goal, but it was too little too late and Bement’s 89th minute goal was nothing but a consolation prize.

MONEY FROM DISTANCE - With five of their 13 goals coming from outside the 18-yard box, Orlando has scored more goals from distance than any other League One club this season.  Santos and Souza’s strikes against Madison prove that the team’s ability from range is not a fluke.

MAKING LIFE DIFFICULT - Madison will look at both of Orlando’s goals and consider them avoidable. The first came following a bad turnover in the Flamingos’ defensive third and the second from a counterattack following a poor serve from a Madison free kick. Madison will be kicking themselves for giving away scoring chances as cheaply as they did Friday night. On the attacking end, the Flamingos created enough chances to win the match, but failed to capitalize. Madison out-shot Orlando 13-8, putting five of those shots on target.

SECRET WEAPON? - One key figure in Orlando’s recent run of form is forward Rafael Santos. With Santos on the field, OCB is 3-1-2 and without him they are 0-4-1. Santos has scored goals in the last two matches and has helped give Orlando a spark up front during the club’s unbeaten run. Santos was substituted in the 58th minute in Friday's match against Madison with an apparent injury, one Orlando will be hoping is not too serious given his impact on the team. 


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