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Orlando City fall fast to Montreal Impact 3-1

Orlando City SC hosts the Montreal Impact at Orlando City Stadium in Orlando Florida on Saturday March 16, 2019. Photo Credit: Marty Jean-Louis

It was like a different team entered the field wearing purple yesterday as Orlando City SC fell to the Montreal Impact 3-1 in front of 18,000+ fans at Orlando City Stadium. It was Orlando’s first defeat of the season.

After winning the Orlando City Invitational Cup, and two games with aggressive defense, crisp play, and precise passing, The squad that showed up yesterday was a bit lost, making lackadaisical and inaccurate passes and showed no evidence of the team we thought it was.

“When we start a game like that and defend honestly the way we did, you make it practically impossible to give yourself a chance to go on and win the game.” Said Orlando City Head Coach James O’Connor ” You can’t defend like that and expect to get something out of the game.”

Montreal had quick goals from Orji Okwonkwo in the 14th minute on a cross from Saphir Tadier. Then, in the 15th minute, after a bad backward pass from Shane O’Niell, Montreal got on the ball in the box. Orlando goal keeper Brian Rowe had to charge off of his line to challenge the Montreal player, the ball made it over to Montreals’s Ignacio Piatti who easily put it in the net.

Orlando City SC hosts the Montreal Impact at Orlando City Stadium in Orlando Florida on Saturday March 16, 2019. Photo Credit: Marty Jean-Louis

Montreal scored again in the 80th minute off of a City turnover outside the 18-yard box gives Piatti another open look, in which he capitalizes on to extend the lead for the visitors to 3-0.

Orlando did get on the board in stoppage time when Dom Dwyer sent on in off of a Santiago Patiño pass.

Midfielder Will Johnson was injured earlier in the game after being struck in the head on the Montreal side. He is in concussion protocol.

There was quite a bit of arguing, pushing and shoving between teams later in the second half. Montreal was reduced to 10-men late in stoppage time, when Zakaria Diallo was sent off for violent conduct in the 90+6’

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