LDN - Sports

Orlando City rallies over Rapids for MLS-high 5th straight win

[April 30, 2018] Orlando City continued its recent run through the MLS as they picked up their fifth straight win, grabbing a road win after beating the Colorado Rapids 2-1 Sunday afternoon in Commerce City, Colo.

The streak is the longest in the MLS this year and it ties the club record for consecutive wins.

And it all came down to the second half.

In the opening 45 minutes, the potent Orlando attack had little room to get it going and helped Colorado take the 1-0 lead into the break.

That changed early in the second half when the flow of the game transformed.

First it was Justin Meram with a laser from 20 yards out that Colorado goalie Zac MacMath deflected off the post. Less than two minutes later, Orlando (5-2-1) drew even in the game.

A poor clearance from the Colorado defense sent the ball to Sacha Kljestan, who was able to control it and calmly roll it over to a wide-open Cristian Higuita. Left open, Higuita had time to take one touch, then snap a shot into the upper right side to make it 1-1 in the 52nd minute.

At that point, it wasn't if, but rather when Orlando would score again.

The answer came in the 77th minute.

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Meram hit a ball through to Yoshimar Yotun into the left of the Colorado penalty box. Yotun had a step on defender Dillon Serna, who in turn clipped Yotun from behind.

The whistle sounded, Yotun was awarded a kick from the spot and he put it away for the 2-1 lead.

Colorado (2-3-2) struck first midway through the first half. Enzo Martinez hit a long ball that Dominique Badji broke on perfectly, catching the Orlando backline sleeping. Controlling the long pass, Badji pushed the ball forward, leaving two defenders behind before pushing it home past Orlando goalie Joe Bendik.

Bendik finished with five saves in the win while Colorado goalie Zac MacMath stopped three shots.

--Field Level Media

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