MATCH RECAP: Orlando Captures Inaugural I-4 Derby Title Over Tampa Bay Rowdies

Orlando Captures Inaugural I-4 Derby Title Over Tampa Bay Rowdies

Team 1 2 Final (Aggregate)

Orlando City 2 1 3 (6)

Tampa Bay Rowdies 1 1 2 (4)

Scoring Summary:

ORL- Kevin Molino (Adama Mbengue) 5^th

ORL-Adama Mbengue (unassisted) 32^nd

TB- Takuya Yamade (penalty) 41^st

TB- Amani Walker (unassisted) 52^nd

ORL-Dom Dwyer (unassisted) 90th

Lineups:

Orlando City- GK: Jon Kempin, D Bryan Burke, Yann Songo’o, Rob Valentino, Luke Boden, M James O’Connor, Christian Duke, Kevin Molino, Adama Mbengue F Jamie Watson (Dennis Chin 73’), Dom Dwyer

Tampa Bay– GK Andrew Fontein, D Frankie Sanfilippo, Takuya Yamada, Daniel Scott Raphael Cox, M Evans Frimpong, Luke Mullholland, Stuart Campbell, Devin Del Do, F Georgi Hristov, Amani Walker

Match Facts:

Time of Match: 7:30 p.m.

Weather: Clear

Orlando Captures Inaugural I-4 Derby Title Over Tampa Bay Rowdies

Lions win 6-4 on aggregate, capturing inaugural I-4 Derby Championship in St. Petersburg

Orlando, Fla.— Orlando City SC took down the Tampa Bay Rowdies 3-2 Saturday night at Al Lang Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., capturing the inaugural I-4 Derby presented by United World Soccer on aggregate 6-4. More than 150 Orlando City supporters travelled to see the Lions hoist the I-4 trophy, which wraps up the 2013 preseason for the Lions.

“It was an unbelievable atmosphere,” said Orlando City Head Coach Adrian Heath. “I’m pleased for our players as they worked really hard tonight, and I’m really pleased for the supporters as they’ve been unbelievable. This one is for them.“

The Lions didn’t take very long to get on the scoreboard, with a well placed through ball by Midfielder Adama Mbengue to a charging Kevin Molino giving Orlando the early advantage. The 2012 USL PRO MVP found the pass in stride right outside the 18-yard box from Mbengue, rounding Rowdies Goalkeeper Andrew Fontein in the 5^th minute to put the Lions up 1-0.

Orlando kept pushing on the attack, with it paying off in the 32^nd minute. Forward and Sporting loanee Dom Dwyer blasted a shot that was deflected by Tampa’s Fontein, only for Mbengue to put in the follow up – giving Orlando the two goal advantage.

Tampa responded just before halftime, with a penalty kick conversion by Defender Tayuka Yamada in the 41^st cutting down the Lions’ lead to one. Defender Rob Valentino entangled with a Tampa striker inside the Orlando18-yard box, with the referee pointing to the penalty spot immediately after both fell from the collision. Yamada slid it by Goalkeeper Jon Kempin, who made his first start for Orlando since being loaned from affiliate Sporting Kansas City, to give the Rowdies some hope before half.

Tampa kicked off the second half with another score, this time from Forward Amani Walker. The striker received a well-placed chip from a Rowdies midfielder, placing it past Kempin to tie the match at 2-2 in the 50^th minute.

After the Rowdies quick two scores, Orlando’s defense tightened in the later part of the second half, not allowing Tampa to gain solid footing on the offensive side of the ball. A late goal by Dwyer secured the win and championship for Orlando, slotting the ball from 18 yards out in the 90^th minute to give Orlando the 3-2 advantage and 6-4 on aggregate.

Orlando now turns their attention to the 2013 USL PRO regular season, with the Lions traveling to Sun Devil Stadium on the campus of Arizona State University to face expansion side Phoenix FC on Sunday, April 7. The match will be streamed on UNation. For more information leading up to the regular season opener in Phoenix, visit Orlandocitysoccer.com.

Photo Credit: Matt May/Tampa Bay Rowdies, Austin Hittel/Orlando City SC

About Orlando City Soccer Club:

Orlando City Soccer Club (OCSC) is a premier professional soccer sports franchise in the United States and is a member of the USL PRO. The Lion’s pro team has won two regular season titles and one postseason championship during their short time in Orlando. Outside of the pro squad, OCSC also has their own youth club, Orlando City Youth Soccer (OCYS) and a U23s team that participates in the PDL. For more information on the pro and youth clubs, visit www.orlandocitysoccer.com and www.orlandocityyouth.org.

MATCH PREVIEW: Lions Face Rowdies In Second Leg of I-4 Derby Saturday

Lions Face Rowdies In Second Leg Of I-4 Derby Saturday

Orlando looks for inaugural derby title in St. Petersburg at Al Lang Stadium

ORLANDO, Fla.—Orlando City squares off against the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the second leg of the I-4 Derby presented by United World Soccer on Saturday, March 30, at Al Lang Field in St. Petersburg, Fla. The Lions won the first match in the derby series between the two on March 9 at the Florida Citrus Bowl, rallying to down the visiting Rowdies 3-2. Kickoff for the game is set for 7:30 p.m.

“We know we missed a good amount of chances in the first game against Tampa,” said Orlando City Head Coach Adrian Heath. “It’s going to be a competitive game down at a tight field down there (in St. Petersburg). I expect a great game.“

Orlando has met Tampa Bay twice in franchise history, with both meetings coming within the last month. The Lions first met the Rowdies in the conclusion of the 2013 Disney Pro Soccer Classic, beating the 2012 NASL champions 2-0 at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. The two then clashed in the first leg of the I-4 Derby just two weeks later, with Orlando rallying to clinch the victory 3-2 over the visiting squad. If Orlando wins or draws in St. Petersburg on Saturday, the Lions will take home the title of champions in the first of what both sides hope to be an annual series.

The 2013 Orlando City roster has seen change since the last time they squared off against the Rowdies. As per the agreement between Orlando and their Major League Soccer affiliate Sporting Kansas City, four players have arrived on loan and are now competing for starting spots. Those players include Dom Dwyer, Jon Kempin, Christian Duke and Yann Songo’o. All four have seen playing time in two collegiate friendlies since their arrival, making Saturday’s match even more crucial for each player as the 2013 USL PRO season starts at the beginning of April.

“Basically everybody is trying to get themselves into pole position before the start of the season,” Heath added.

The Lions play their last collegiate friendly of the 2013 preseason Monday, March 25, against the University of Tampa at the Seminole Soccer Complex in Sanford, Fla. Orlando has remained undefeated in the collegiate series in 2013, topping college teams from Stetson, Rollins, FIU and FGCU. Admission is free and kickoff is set for 7 p.m. For more information about the collegiate friendly against Tampa and Saturday’s game at the Tampa Bay Rowdies, visit OrlandoCitySoccer.com.

Training Times:

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Off Off 10-1130** 10-1130** 10-1130**

*Practices are held at the Seminole Soccer Complex in Sanford, Fla, and are open to media. Times are subject to change. Please contact Chris Jones (cjones@orlandocitysoccer.com) on confirmed times before attending training.

**times a.m.

About Orlando City Soccer Club:

Orlando City Completes Comeback Against Tampa Bay

Down 1-0 at half, Lions scored three unanswered to take home the win

Despite being down a goal at halftime, Orlando City rallied back to beat the Tampa Bay Rowdies 3-2 in the first leg of the I-4 Derby sponsored by United World Soccer at the Fifth Third Bank Field at the Florida Citrus Bowl Saturday night. The Lions scored in the 49^th, 58^th and 70^th minutes and withstood a late score by the Rowdies to complete the comeback victory.

“Our response in the second half was positive, we moved the ball quickly and opened them up,” said Orlando City Head Coach Adrian Heath. “The game could’ve been out of sight with the amount of chances we had, but certainly glad of the 3-2 result after being down 1-nil at halftime.“

Orlando put the pressure on the Tampa Bay side early and often, creating chances for the Lions in the first half. Midfielder Jamie Watson was on the end of a few scoring chances in the first 10 minutes, having two shots on goal with one skipping inches left of the post for the Lions.

Tampa got on the board first, however, with a bad giveaway from the Orlando City backline leading to the score. Tampa Bay Forward Amani Walker took advantage of the poor passing by the City backline, slotting home the goal to give the Rowdies a 1-0 lead in the 17^th minute.

City continued to pressure throughout the rest of the first half, with the Lions holding a 12 -2 advantage in shots as the halftime whistle blew with the Rowdies still ahead by one.

Orlando got on the board immediately starting the second half, with Watson converting a corner kick to even the score line at 1-1. New signee Freddie Braun attempted the corner leading to the score, with the midfielder slotting home the goal.

The Lions offensive continued, with another goal coming in the 58^th minute for Orlando. After Forward Long Tan’s strike was deflected back in the middle of the pitch by Tampa Goalkeeper Andrew Fontein, Midfielder James O’Connor half-volleyed the deflection into the lower left-hand corner to give Orlando the 2-1 advantage. Forward Jean Alexandre also got on the scoreboard in the second half, with the striker chipping his breakaway opportunity up and over Fontein for the score and 3-1 lead.

Tampa Bay wasn’t done, with 2011 USL PRO Rookie of the Year Luke Mulholland converting on a free kick in the 75^th to put the Rowdies back in contention. The consistent Orlando attack was too much as the game wore on, with the match ending in a 3-2 victory for the Lions.

The Lions continue the 2013 preseason in a series of collegiate friendlies, starting with University of Stetson this Wednesday, March 13, at the Seminole Soccer Complex in Sanford, Fla. Orlando will also meet Florida Gulf Coast, Rollins College and the University of Tampa before the Lions square off against the Rowdies in the second leg of the I-4 Derby presented by United World Soccer in St. Petersburg, Fla., at Al Lang Stadium on March 30.

Orlando City Game Summary

Team 1 2 Final

Orlando City 0 3 3

Tampa Bay Rowdies 1 1 2

Scoring Summary:

(TB)-Amani Walker- 17^th

(ORL)-Jamie Watson- 49^th

(ORL)-James O’Connor-58^th

(ORL)-Jean Alexandre-70^th

(TB)-Luke Mulholland-75^th

Lineups:

Orlando City- Miguel Gallardo, Bryan Burke, Luke Boden, Oumar Diakhite, Rob Valentino, Adama Mbengue (Jonathan Mendoza-79^th), Freddie Braun, James O’Connor, Jamie Watson, Jean Alexandre, Long Tan

Tampa Bay- Andrew Fontein, Takuya Yamada, Dan Scott (Georgi Hristov-56^th), Jay Needham, Andres Arango (Jordan Gafa-79^th), Raphael Cox, Stuart Campbell, Shane Hill, Luke Mulholland, Amani Walker, Evans Frimpong

Match Facts:

Time of Match: 7:30 p.m.

Weather: Clear

Attendance: 6,877

For all game information and times of matches, visit OrlandoCitySoccer.com.

Match Preview: Orlando Faces Tampa In First-Ever ‘I-4 Derby’ at Florida Citrus Bowl

Orlando Faces Tampa In First-Ever ‘I-4 Derby’ at Florida Citrus Bowl

Home leg this Saturday, March 9, at Florida Citrus Bowl with kickoff set for 7:30

Orlando, Fla.- Orlando City SC faces cross-state and 2012 NASL Champion Tampa Bay Rowdies this Saturday, March 9, at Fifth Third Bank Field at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla. In the inaugural ‘I-4 Derby’, a home-and-away series between the two clubs, Orlando looks to gain further traction heading into the 2013 USL PRO regular season.

The last time the two clubs met, the Lions defeated the Rowdies 2-0 in the conclusion of the 2013 Disney Pro Soccer Classic last Saturday. Goals from Midfielder Jamie Watson and Forward Dennis Chin led the way for Orlando. Goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo and the City backline held their own against the Rowdies attack, keeping their first clean sheet in the PSC vs. cross-state Tampa.

The Lions have made roster moves since the last meeting against the Rowdies, adding Orlando City U23s Captain Jonathan Mendoza and University of Tampa standout Brian Fekete to the squad. Both had previously been on trial with Orlando before signing with the team. Defender Jerome Mechack was also signed by Major League Soccer’s (MLS) Sporting Kansas City after spending most of the 2013 preseason on trial.

Tampa Bay comes into the game led by Head Coach Ricky Hill, who heads into his second season with the club. Hill led Tampa Bay to a record of 12-9-7 in the 2012 regular season before making a run in the NASL playoffs, topping Minnesota Stars FC 3-2 on penalty kicks. Lion fans will remember Rowdies standout and Midfielder Luke Mulholland, who won USL PRO Rookie of the Year after notching nine goals and five assists for rival Wilmington Hammerheads in 2011.

The I-4 Derby was announced this past November after continuous fan suggestion of creating a strong rivalry between the two franchises. The Lions and Rowdies, both recent champions in the USL PRO and NASL, are both top-flight clubs that show the rapid growth of the beautiful game in the sunshine state.

Tickets for the first match in Orlando can be purchased now by calling (855) ORL-CITY, while tickets for the second match in Tampa Bay will go on sale at a later date and will be able to be purchased through www.rowdiessoccer.com. Tickets for the Orlando match will not be included as a part of the OCSC season ticket package, but discounts will be available for season ticket holders.

The two sides will meet again on March 30 for the second leg of the derby in St. Petersburg, Fla. The match kicks off at 7:30 p.m. at Al Lang Stadium. The Lions will also continue their preseason against local college teams, including Stetson, Florida Gulf Coast and Rollins College. For the full preseason schedule, visit OrlandoCitySoccer.com.
Training Schedule:

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

10-11:15** 10-11:15** 10-11:15** 10-11:15** 10-11:15**

**times a.m.

About Orlando City Soccer Club:

Orlando City and Tampa Bay To Hold Exhibition Matches

ORLANDO CITY AND TAMPA BAY TO HOLD EXHIBITION MATCHES

Clubs will play home and away series along with participating in Disney Pro Soccer Classic

TAMPA/ ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando City SC and the Tampa Bay Rowdies announced today a home and away preseason friendly starting in March of 2013. The first match will be in Orlando at the Florida Citrus Bowl on Saturday, March 9, with the second following on Saturday, March 30 in St. Petersburg at Al Lang Stadium.

The series comes after continuous fan suggestion of creating a strong rivalry between the two franchises. The Lions and Rowdies, both recent champions in the USL PRO and NASL, are top-flight clubs that show the rapid growth of the beautiful game in the sunshine state.

The Central Florida Sports Commission has also announced that both clubs will be taking part in Soccer Spring Training and the Disney Pro Soccer Classic tournament. The Disney Pro Soccer Classic will be held at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex on Feb. 9, 2013 with the tournament culminating in the championship game on Feb. 23. The tournament will feature six Major League Soccer (MLS) teams participating in Spring Training, as well as NASL Champion Tampa Bay Rowdies and USL PRO Regular-Season Champion Orlando City Soccer Club.

Orlando City won their second-straight regular season title in 2012 after totaling a franchise-best 17-1-6 (W-L-T) record and 57 points. The Lions have also done major work off the pitch, moving further along in talks of becoming an Major League Soccer (MLS) franchise with a recent announcement of an economic impact study, detailing the effects of bringing a MLS franchise to Central Florida.

“We are excited for our fans that have been able to arrange what we hope will be an annual preseason competition with the Rowdies,” said Orlando City President Phil Rawlins. “It should be a terrific local derby.”

The Rowdies were crowned the 2012 North American Soccer League Champions after winning the NASL Soccer Bowl over Minnesota Stars FC on October 27 at Al Lang Stadium. It was the second time the Rowdies were crowned NASL champions, with the first coming over the Portland Timbers back in 1975. In 2012, the Rowdies won their second consecutive FIFA Fair Play Award and featured the NASL Coach of the Year and three of the NASL Best Eleven players.

“The Rowdies are excited to face off against MLS clubs in the Disney Pro Soccer Classic,” said Rowdies President & General Manager Andrew Nestor. “We’re starting the 2013 preseason one month earlier than 2012 to participate in this event and play top competition in order to maintain a championship caliber team. We’re proud to represent NASL in this tournament, and the event against Orlando City will be another great experience for our fans.”

About Orlando City Soccer Club:

About Tampa Bay Rowdies:

The Tampa Bay Rowdies are a professional soccer club and a member of the North American Soccer League (NASL). The Rowdies home stadium is Al Lang Stadium in downtown St. Petersburg, Fl. The Rowdies were reborn in 2010 and quickly reestablished as a premier club in the United States, winning the NASL Soccer Bowl Championship in 2012. The Rowdies were born in 1975 and were Tampa Bay’s first-ever professional sports franchise. From 1975-1984, the Rowdies were one of the most successful teams in the original NASL, winning the Soccer Bowl Championship in 1975 and reaching the finals in 1978 and 1979. For more information, visit www.rowdiessoccer.com.

About CFSC:
The Central Florida Sports Commission strategically solicits, creates and supports marquee sports-related events and businesses that enhance our community’s economy. The Sports Commission represents the counties of Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia, as well as the City of Orlando. The Sports Commission also produces sports-related programs for the residents of Central Florida including the Celebrity Mascot Games, the SPORTYS, Breakfast of Champions and the Daytona Beach Half Marathon. For more information, please visit www.centralfloridasports.org.