Orlando City Completes Homestand Saturday vs. Antigua

First match against Antigua Barracuda FC in 2013 this Saturday in Orlando

Orlando, Fla.— Orlando City (4-1-1, 13 points) hosts Antigua Barracuda FC (0-3-0, 0 points) this Saturday, May 4, at Fifth Third Bank Field at the Florida Citrus Bowl, with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. After Tuesday night’s match was cancelled due to severe weather, Orlando looks toward Saturday as the Lions wrap up their first homestand of the 2013 USL PRO regular season.

Orlando is currently undefeated at home through the beginning of the 2013 USL PRO season, winning all three of their matches played in Central Florida. The Lions have an impressive goal differential of +7 in the three home matches played, scoring 10 goals while only allowing three.

The Antigua match also marks the beginning of matches in the month of May for the Lions, who travel to play the Seattle Sounders Reserves on Sunday, May 12, to kick off a three-game road swing that lasts the majority of the month of May. The Sounders Reserves match is the first of two for Orlando against the Reserve League side, with the game counting in each team’s respective league tables.

The match between Orlando City SC and VSI Tampa Bay FC was cancelled due to severe weather just before 8:30 p.m. Tuesday night. After an hour delay, team and league officials called the game due to an incoming severe weather system that would not allow play to occur. The match will be rescheduled at a future date, which is currently to be determined.

MATCH RECAP: Orlando Blanks Dayton 4-0

Orlando Blanks Dayton 4-0 In Front of Regular-Season Record Crowd

9,589 fans witness Orlando top visiting Dayton, Dwyer notches brace in win

Team 1 2 Final

Orlando City 3 1 4

Dayton Dutch Lions 0 0 0

Scoring Summary:

ORL- Dennis Chin (Jamie Watson) 28^th

ORL-Dom Dwyer (Rob Valentino 34^th

ORL-Jamie Watson (penalty) 39^th

ORL- Dom Dwyer (Mbengue) 72^nd

ORLANDO, Fla.—Led by three first-half goals, Orlando City (4-1-1, 13 points) handed the visiting Dayton Dutch Lions (2-1-0, 6 points) their first loss of the season 4-0 Saturday night in front of a regular-season record 9,589 fans at Fifth Third Bank Field at the Florida Citrus Bowl. The win gives the Lions a 3-0-0 home record in USL PRO regular season play as Orlando continues their home stand Tuesday night against VSI Tampa Bay.

“It was a very good, professional performance tonight,” said Orlando City Head Coach Adrian Heath. “I’m proud of the boys.“

Dayton, who won their first two games of the season coming into Orlando, played the Lions tough early on. The Ohio-based side held strong defensive lines as an attempt to disrupt forward movement by Orlando, but as the first half went on the Lions began to find breaks.

After multiple chances by the Lions frontline, Orlando broke through in the 28^th minute with a goal from Forward Dennis Chin. The 2012 USL PRO Scoring Champion, who was making his first start for Orlando in the 2013 regular season, slotted home a score after Midfielder Jamie Watson found the striker in stride past the Dayton backline. Chin chipped the Watson feed up and over Dutch Lions’ Goalkeeper Matt Williams for the 1-0 advantage.

Once the first score occurred, Orlando opened up the match. Defender Rob Valentino found Sporting Kansas City loanee and Forward Dom Dwyer in the box in the 34^th minute, with the former USF Bull finding the back of the net after eluding Dayton’s backline for his fourth goal of the season and 2-0 advantage.

Just five minutes later, Dwyer again found himself in scoring position only for a Dayton defender to trip him inside the 18 yard box, awarding the Lions a penalty kick. Watson, who came into the game leading the league in overall points, calmly converted the attempt in the lower right-hand corner to give the Lions a 3-0 lead heading into the half.

Orlando continued to press in the second half, showing no let-up from the first 45 minutes of play. It was again Dwyer who scored for the Lions, weaving his way past a Dayton defender on the left side of the pitch in the 72^nd minute for his brace and the 4-0 advantage. The 4-0 scoreline tied the franchise’s largest goal differential in a regular season match (+4), with the game ending in the same tally.

Orlando quickly turns their attention to a home match this Tuesday, April 30, against expansion side VSI Tampa Bay. Tampa (3-3-0, 9 points) has won two out of their last three coming into Tuesday night’s match, which marks the first-ever meeting between the two Florida clubs.

The 9,589 fans Saturday night marks the second-straight week in which Orlando City set a regular-season attendance record. The previous week, 9,140 came out to see the Lions top LA 3-2, a record in its own right.

Lineups/Substitutions:

Orlando City- GK Sean Kelley, Defenders Bryan Burke, Rob Valentino, Yann Songo’o, Luke Boden, M Kevin Molino (Jonathan Mendoza 76), James O’Connor (Freddie Braun 70), Anthony Pulis, Jamie Watson (Adama Mbengue 72), F Dennis Chin (Long Tan 81), Dom Dwyer (Jean Alexandre 81)

Dayton- GK Matt Williams, D Taylor Lord (Jeremy Cheeseman 83), Greg Preciado, Shintaro Harada, Shane Smith M Joel Delass, Irakli Khutsidze (Tjeed Westdijk 72), Brock Granger, Gibson Bardsley (Joseph Madigan 56), F Brandon Swartzendruber (Remco Klasse 56), Eric Kissinger (Ryan Grothaus 84)

Penalty Summary:

DAY- Joel Delass (Yellow) 47^th

Match Facts:

Time of Match: 7:30 p.m. EST

Weather: Clear

Attendance: 9,589

For more information on Tuesday night’s match, visit Orlandocitysoccer.com.

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.

Orlando City Match Cancelled Due to Severe Weather

Orlando City Match Cancelled Due to Severe Weather

Rescheduled match against VSI Tampa Bay TBD

ORLANDO, Fla.—The match between Orlando City SC and VSI Tampa Bay FC was cancelled due to severe weather just before 8:30 p.m. Tuesday night at Fifth Third Bank Field at the Florida Citrus Bowl. After an hour delay, team and league officials called the game due to an incoming severe weather system that would not allow play to occur. The match will be rescheduled at a future date, which is currently to be determined.

Tickets for tonight’s match will be valid for the rescheduled game. For more information on tickets, fans can call 855-ORL-CITY.

The Lions now turn their attention toward Saturday, May 4, against Antigua Barracuda FC. The Barracudas are currently 0-3-0 through three games in 2013. The Lions are 5-1-0 all-time against Antigua, with their only loss coming at home in 2011, the last time Orlando has lost at home in the regular season.

For more information on Saturday’s match, visit Orlandocitysoccer.com.

MATCH RECAP: Orlando Draws Charlotte 1-1

MATCH RECAP: Orlando Draws Charlotte 1-1,

Moves to Top of League Standings

Team 1 2 Final

Orlando City 1 0 1

Charlotte Eagles 0 1 1

Scoring Summary:

Orlando- Dom Dwyer (Luke Boden) 8^th

Charlotte- Nathan Thornton (unassisted) 90^th

Lineups/Substitutions:

Orlando City- GK Sean Kelley, D Yann Songo’o, Bryan Burke, Luke Boden, Rob Valentino, M Anthony Pulis, Freddie Braun, Kevin Molino, Jamie Watson, F Dom Dwyer, Long Tan (Jean Alexandre 61’)

Charlotte- GK Eric Reed, D Fejiro Okiomah, Tyler Newnam, Matthew Gold, Shaun Francis M Nathan Thornton, Sergio Villasenor (Mitchily Waul 41’), Stephen Okai (Christian Meda 27’), Juan Guzman, Samuel Asante, F Christian Ramirez (Stefan Smith 79’)

Penalty Summary:

6’ Sergio Villasenor (Yellow)

26’ Fejiro Okiomah (Yellow)

40’ Freddie Braun (Yellow)

45’ Kevin Molino (Yellow)

45’ Samuel Asante (Yellow)

72’ Shaun Francis (Yellow)

73’ Tyler Newnam (Yellow)

Match Facts:

Time of Match: 7:00 p.m. EST

Weather: Clear

Orlando Draws Charlotte 1-1, Moves to Top of League Standings

Late Charlotte Goal in 90^th Minute Equalizes Match, Lions Earn Point On The Road

Charlotte, N.C.— Orlando City (3-2-0, 10 points) drew the Charlotte Eagles (1-1-1, 4 points) 1-1 at the Queen Sports Complex in Charlotte, N.C. Tuesday night, moving the Lions to the top of the league standings through five games played. A goal by Dom Dwyer in the 8^th minute put Orlando up early, only for a late equalizer by Eagles’ Midfielder Nathan Thornton in the 90^th minute allowing Charlotte to grab the tie and win from the Lions.

The Lions jumped out to an early lead, with a well-placed corner from Winger Luke Boden finding an unmarked Dom Dwyer in the box for the header and goal in the 8^th minute. Dwyer, who’s currently on loan from Orlando’s Major League Soccer affiliate Sporting Kansas City, whipped his conversion into the back of the net for the 1-0 lead. The goal was Dwyer’s third of the regular season, which ties him for team and league best with Midfielder Jamie Watson.

Orlando continued to create more chances in the first half, along with deterring the Eagles of any scoring opportunities of their own. The scoreline remained at 1-0 to close out the first 45 minutes of play, with a familiar face in goal helping the Lions’ defense keep the score sheet clean.

Orlando Goalkeeper Sean Kelley made his first start of the 2013 season with the Lions for a sidelined Miguel Gallardo and banged-up Jon Kempin. Kelley, who was signed prior to the start of the season, is familiar to Head Coach Adrian Heath’s system, playing for the Lions in 2011 and 2012 as backup to Gallardo.

The Lexington, Ky., native made key saves for the Lions in the first half, including a diving deflection in the 27^th minute. Eagles’ Defender Shaun Francis rocketed a shot outside the 18’ yard only for Kelley to punch it out of danger while extending his arms and diving to his left.

Charlotte came out of halftime with a more active attack, putting pressure on the Orlando backline. After trying to breakthrough, Charlotte capitalized in the closing minutes of play. A long ball by an Eagle defender found Midfielder Nathan Thornton toward goal, with a costly defensive miscommunication, allowing him to weave around Kelley and easily slot home the equalizer in the 90^th minute of play.

The Lions come back home this Saturday, April 27, to play the Dayton Dutch Lions at Fifth Third Bank Field at the Florida Citrus Bowl. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. Orlando is 2-0-4 (W-L-T) all-time against Dayton, who currently holds a 1-0-0 record through one game played in the young 2013 regular season. For more information on the Saturday’s match, visit Orlandocitysoccer.com.