COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – Orlando City SC (8-7-5, 29 points) battled to a 1-1 draw with the Colorado Rapids (5-8-6, 21 points) on Wednesday night at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, with Facundo Torres scoring his fifth goal in all competitions in the match.
At the 20 minute mark, Facu moved into position and was able to take aAlexandre Pato pass and sent a blast into the lower crossbar for the opening goal of the match. It was Pato’s fourth assist of the season.
“A good point in a difficult place.” Said Orlando Head Coach Oscar Pareja “I’d like to recognize the effort of the players with this continuity and proximity of the games, traveling and all those things. I think we’re finding ways to get results.”
Orlando definitely had the push in the first half of the match, but as the game continued, Colorado made the plays to remain in the game.
“I thought it was a game with two different versions. Pareja continued “In the first half, I thought we played very well going ahead in the score and having a couple more chances. Then Colorado started reacting and in the second they overloaded us with more players up front where we couldn’t sustain the possession as we did in the first half and obviously they were more aggressive and started creating options. We had a couple of chances to win it and that’s why I think we’ll take the point and now think about the next one. It’s a difficult place with a result that today helps us to keep adding points.”
Colorado managed to equalize in the 65th minute when Michael Barrios set a lofted ball on the right flank before driving a cross into the area, finding a running Gyasi Zardes at the near post who was able to get just enough on it for the finish.
The Lions remain on the road at the weekend, traveling to take on Atlanta United FC on Sunday, July 17 in a 3 p.m. ET kickoff at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
