Orlando City Fall 2-1 to Charlotte FC in Return to Season Play

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) – Fresh off their elimination from the Concacaf tournament against the Tigres, Orlando City SC came into Saturday’s regular season home match against Charlotte FC with a chip on their shoulder.

First Half

The shot attempts began early for both sides…and both first attempts were offsides. Charlotte FC made the first shot within the third minute, with Enzo Copetti beating Orlando City’s Rodrigo Schlegel into the box and missing wide. Orlando’s Martin Ojeda made his attempt in the fourth minute, which found the back of the net, but was ruled offsides.

In the 26th minute, Copetti finished the job and got the first point on the board for Charlotte.

In the 29th minute, Charlotte FC’s Harrison Afful got a yellow card for fouling Facundo Torres as Torres was making his way to the goal.

In the 38th minute, Kerwin Calderon Vargas snuck in a goal for Charlotte FC, with the ball deflecting off of Orlando goalie Pedro Gallese, making the score 2-0 for Charlotte before halftime.

Orlando City remained scoreless before halftime, despite the four minutes of added time, keeping the score 2-0 at the half.

Second Half

Orlando City took the ooportunity at halftime to sub in Kyle Smith and Ivan Angulo for Rafael Santos and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson.

Charlotte FC kept the pressure on with a near-goal from Afful in the 50th minute and a little too much aggression from Jaylin Lindsey in the 54th minute, landing him a yellow card for fouling–you guessed it–Facundo Torres.

In the 57th minute, Orlando City SC finally got on the board with Martin Ojeda’s goal from Duncan McGuire, slimming the gap to 2-1.

In the 67th minute, Charlotte subbed in Nathan Byrne for Jaylin Lindsey and while Orlando City subbed in Ramiro Enrique for Duncan McGuire.

Charlotte FC goalie George Marks managed to get a yellow card of his own in the 69th minute for time wasting.

In the 76th minute Charlotte FC’s Brandt Bronico got a yellow card for attempting to start a fight with an Orlando City player. In the very next minute, another Charlotte yellow card: Kamil Jozwiak got collared for knocking down–once again–Torres, earning Orlando a free kick for Orlando.

Orlando City’s Ramiro Enrique scored what looked like a nice goal–except it was offsides.

In the 80th minute, Charlotte FC got its sixth yellow of the night with Copetti’s elbow to Orlando City’s Rodrigo Schlegel.

After all the knocking around and fouls, the game got six minutes of added time.

In the fourth minute of added time, Torres made a cross for Ojeda, but his header went wide.

With Orlando unable to answer even in the added time, they took another loss on the chin, falling 2-1 to Charlotte.

______________________________________________

Mellissa Thomas is Editor for Florida National News, part of the FNN News Network. | mellissa.thomas@floridanationalnews.com