In a gripping Leagues Cup Group East 2 finale, Orlando City SC secured their place as group winners after a 1-1 draw with Atlético San Luis, followed by a penalty shootout victory at Exploria Stadium. The result means Orlando City will face Cruz Azul in the knockout stages, while CF Montreal will take on the Philadelphia Union. San Luis, unable to capitalize on their player advantage, were eliminated from the competition.
Orlando started the match with intensity, dominating possession and creating several chances in the final third. However, they struggled to find the back of the net. Pedro Gallese's crucial save prevented San Luis from taking an early lead during their only significant offensive foray in the first half.
The game’s dynamic shifted dramatically in the 29th minute when Kyle Smith received a red card, forcing Orlando to play with ten men for the remainder of the match. Despite this setback, Orlando's resolve remained unshaken and understood the task at hand.
As the first half neared its conclusion, Facundo Torres, marking his 100th appearance for Orlando City in all competitions, delivered a pinpoint cross to Ramiro Enrique, who headed it home to break the deadlock. Enrique’s goal marked his sixth consecutive match scoring, a record in Orlando City history.
“Even when we were playing with 10 I thought we had the best chances,” Pareja said. It was very important that Ramiro continued his scoring mode.” he continued.
In response, San Luis adjusted their formation to feature two strikers, which paid off as they began to exploit gaps in Orlando’s backline. A high-xG shot from San Luis hit the crossbar, and Gallese once again came up with a pivotal save to maintain Orlando's lead.
San Luis continued to press, and their persistence was rewarded in the 71st minute when Rodrigo Dourado headed in the equalizer. With this goal, San Luis needed just one more to advance to the knockout rounds and eliminate CF Montreal.
However, Gallese's heroics continued as he pulled off several critical saves, solidifying his status as the player of the match. Orlando’s defense, led by Robin Jansson, managed to hold off the San Luis attack despite being a man down.
The match ended 1-1, leading to a penalty shootout to determine the winner. Orlando City displayed remarkable composure, converting their spot-kicks to clinch the victory and top Group East 2.
Orlando Head Coach Oscar Pareja, “It was an excellent effort from our players...this was not a meaningless game in the second half. We wanted to win this for our fans”.
