Match Report
Teemu Pukki and Duncan McGuire starred at the Inter&Co Stadium, but Pukki’s double paired with the late goal from Bongokuhle Hlongwane proved to be decisive for Minnesota.
Orlando started the game in a record-breakingly quick fashion. A mistake from the kickoff saw Orlando take the ball forward straight away, and a fantastic pass from Rafael Santos found Duncan McGuire and with just 13 seconds on the clock, he finished brilliantly to give Orlando the lead.
McGuire’s goal was a new record for Orlando for the quickest goal in the club’s history, smashing the previous record of 31 seconds that former striker Tesho Akindele set back in 2021.
Orlando could not build on this momentum, however, and just three minutes later, the score was level.
A horrific mistake from Orlando goalkeeper Pedro Gallese saw him kick the ball straight into Pukki, and the Finnish international was able to keep his composure and slot the ball into the empty net to level the scoring.
Orlando did continue to dominate the first half, having more shots and possession than Minnesota, but their dominance would not be repaid.
A nice move on the edge of the box from Minnesota saw midfielder Robin Lod find Pukki again, and the striker turned and fired the ball into the bottom corner with a fantastic finish to give Minnesota the lead.
A complete collapse from Orlando, who could not build on their fantastic defensive performance from the Tigres game in the CONCACAF Champions Cup during the week.
Things went from bad to worse for Orlando, as just minutes after Pukki gave the visitors the lead, midfielder Cesar Araujo was forced off with an injury just before the half-time interval.
Coming out for the second half, Orlando knew they had to come out and attack Minnesota if they were going to find an equaliser. The introductions of Nicolas Lodeiro and Luis Muriel in the second half showed their intent to attack more in the second 45.
Minnesota’s defence was not going to hand anything to Orlando however, as they withstood a long barrage of chances from Orlando which saw the Lions accumulate over three expected goals without finding the net.
However, Orlando’s perseverance finally paid off, as in the 84th minute, McGuire found space on the edge of the box as Micky Tapias for Minnesota backed off the American forward. This would be a fatal error, however, as McGuire found the bottom corner beautifully to level the score.
Orlando’s dominance throughout the game paired with this late equaliser would still not be enough, as substitute Hlogwane was played through by fellow substitute Tani Oluwaseyi and finished superbly past Gallese to steal all three points for the Loons in the dying embers in Orlando.
The result this evening means that Orlando remains winless this season, as they miss out on claiming a much-needed point in their quest to climb up the Eastern Conference standings. They remain in 13th place and will need a change in fortunes soon to climb up the table.
Minnesota will be delighted with the result, as the win this evening now sees them equal Portland Timbers at the top of the Western Conference. However, they could end up in third by the end of the weekend if LA Galaxy defeat Nashville tomorrow afternoon.
Orlando will turn their focus to Wednesday, as they face a crucial second leg against Tigres as they attempt to progress to the next round of the Champions Cup.
Minnesota will look to build on their fantastic start to the 2024 campaign, as they return to Allianz Field next week to host LAFC in the MLS.
