(Photo by Victor Tan / New Day Review)

Match Recap

ORLANDO, Fla. – In team captain Ricardo Kaká’s final Major League Soccer game for Orlando City SC, the Lions faltered once again. City (10-14-9, 39 points) fell 1-0 to fifth-seeded Columbus Crew SC at Orlando City Stadium Sunday evening in front of 25,166 fans.

“Difficult. Very difficult to finish the season with a loss at home,” City head coach Jason Kreis said after the loss and last home match of the season. “To feel like we didn’t live up to the expectations. We didn’t live up to what I think our fans and our club, ultimately—and our community, ultimately, deserved this season. I think we ended up with four losses at home. For me, that’s too many.

“For me, you know, with the atmosphere that we have, with the stadium and with everything that the ownership group has given, we need to do better than that. So we’ll spend the offseason getting really focused in on where and how and when we can improve.”

Columbus and forward Ola Kamara finally scored their long-awaited goal in the 67th minute after having two first-half, would-be goals negated by offside calls. Clean, quick passing that began with attacking midfielder Federico Higuaín helped Columbus find space down the left flank. After Artur de Lima Junior received the ball from Higuaín, he quickly reinserted the ball back into the middle of the box to Kamara for the first goal of the match.

The chances were plenty for both sides in the first half, as Orlando out-shot Columbus 9-5, but neither team could muster a goal in the first 45 minutes. Columbus, however, had two goals negated on two of their four offside calls against a City defense that allowed Columbus an uncomfortable amount of space in the final third.

In the eighth minute, Higuaín sent the ball down to Pedro Santos, who crossed it to the far post to an open Kamara. Kamara finished it past a helpless Joe Bendik, but the assistant referee raised his flag to keep the match level.

Columbus, once again, found Kamara streaking into the box in the 38th minute. His ensuing goal was, again, negated.

As for City, Antonio Nocerino, Kaká and Dom Dwyer led the first-half attack. Nocerino was uncannily aggressive in the team’s final home game of 2017. He notched two of the Lions’ first-half attempts, both good volley attempts. In the 21st minute, right-back Scott Sutter’s cross was blocked but remained dangerous, as Crew goalkeeper Zack Steffen still needed to punch it away. Nocerino tracked the falling ball and volleyed it wide left and into the stands.

The Italian had another attempt in the 30th minute when Kaká returned the short-corner delivery to first-year Lion Yoshimar Yotún. His ensuing cross found Servando Carrasco, who was making his 15th appearance and ninth start of 2017, hovering at the top of the box. His ensuing, mistimed effort misdirected the ball to Nocerino for another volley that was closer than his first.

“Yeah, I think, tactically, you know, when I first looked at [Nocerino] and through the beginning two-thirds of the season, I really thought this was a prototypical No. 6,” Kreis said of the second-year Lion. “And then we decided we would look at it a little differently and put somebody else at six and put him in a little more advanced role. And I feel like that he’s really kind of enjoyed that and blossomed and done really well.

“I think you saw it again tonight where he gets himself in some really good situations. Unfortunately, doesn’t quite have the strike to take the goal, but, yeah, I think that would be his role going forward.”

Kaká’s two shots weren’t on-target but were close efforts, nonetheless. In the 22nd minute, he patiently guided the ball down the right sideline and had his effort deflected inches across the face of the net. The Brazilian got his second chance off a free kick after Giles Barnes drew a foul inches outside the left part of the box. Kaká’s shot was intended for the upper-left corner of the net, but it lifted just above the net.

Dwyer’s opportunities came off a 17th-minute shot that went wide right and a 40th-minute chance inside the left part of the box that went high into the stands.

Man of the Match: F Ola Kamara

Kamara was close to a hat-trick if not for being offside twice on two of his would-be goals. He scored the match’s lone goal in the 67th minute, as he paced Columbus with a team-high three shots (one on-target). The Norway native also created two chances and recorded two tackles.

What’s next?

The Lions conclude their regular season in Philadelphia when they take on the Philadelphia Union on Oct. 22 at 4 p.m.

Will Johnson Makese 1st Appearance Since Domestic Violence-related Suspension

Midfielder Will Johnson, who assumed team-captain responsibilities when Kaká was sidelined with a season-opening injury, made his first appearance since being suspended for a domestic-violence charge in early September. The 57th-minute substitute finished with two shots, completed 88.2 percent of his 17 passes and recorded a tackle.

Upon entering the match, Johnson garnered a combination of applause and boos. For Kreis, he feels Johnson’s experience helped him focus on the match.

“Didn’t say anything to Will before the game,” Kreis said. “You never have to say anything to Will. He’s another guy that’s been through so many experiences that I don’t think, you know, this was—playing back in his first game and being a little questionable about what the reception would be like—I don’t think it was really gonna affect him. I didn’t feel like it affected him tonight. He’s just a guy that’s been very, very hungry to get back on the field, back on the training field, back in the matches for a long time.”

This season, Johnson has started 23 of his 26 appearances, tallying three assists and two goals.

Cyle Larin Was Not Listed in 18-man Lineup

City’s leading goal-scorer, Cyle Larin, did not dress for Sunday’s match against Columbus. Kreis said after the loss that Larin was dealing with a hip-flexor injury and did not pass pre-match examinations to dress.

“Yeah, he had a hip-flexor issue that popped up on two days ago, which was Friday,” Kreis said. “And then he was struggling through it yesterday in the training, and [we learned] he would be questionable for the match, so we brought him in early to do some physical testing, and, ultimately, he failed. So, he was out of the 18 for injury.”

With one game remaining, Larin has scored a career-low 12 goals and has tied his career-high in assists with three. The Lions will conclude their season on Oct. 22 against the Union.

Highlights

20′ | Noce with a no joke volley! Had some sizzle on it. 0-0 | #ORLvCLB pic.twitter.com/W96od0cwXS — Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) October 15, 2017

23′ | Kaká making things happen! His deflected cross almost sneaks in. 0-0 | #ORLvCLB pic.twitter.com/6vreAIeAba — Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) October 15, 2017

37′ | Kaká strikes near post. Had Steffen beat…just inches high. 0-0 | #ORLvCLB pic.twitter.com/Nad0G505rX — Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) October 15, 2017

Dom putting some gas behind this one. 🚀 pic.twitter.com/0C6IX3dQwT — Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) October 15, 2017

NDR Notes

Kaká played his final game for Orlando City in the loss to Columbus. He will not travel to Philadelphia for the 2017 finale.

Carrasco made his 15th appearance and eighth start of the season.

Forward Carlos Rivas, who has played just 23 minutes in five games since a 4-0 loss to the New England Revolution, made his first

Scoring

Time Team Goal-scorer Assisted by 67′ Columbus Crew SC Ola Kamara Héctor Jiménez

Statistics and Starting Lineups

Goals Assists Shots Shots on Goal Possession % Orlando City SC 0 0 13 0 46.5% Columbus Crew SC 1 1 11 4 53.5%

Orlando City SC starting XI (4-3-1-2): Joe Bendik (GK); Donny Toia, Jonathan Spector, Seb Hines, Scott Sutter; Yoshimar Yotún, Servando Carrasco, Antonio Nocerino; Giles Barnes; Ricardo Kaká (C), Dom Dwyer

Columbus Crew SC starting XI (4-2-3-1): Zack Steffen (GK); Héctor Jiménez, Josh Williams, Jonathan Mensah, Harrison Afful; Artur de Lima Junior, Wil Trapp (C); Justin Meram, Federico Higuaín, Pedro Santos; Ola Kamara

For more on the Lions, as they conclude their regular season in Philly, follow Victor Tan on Twitter @NDR_VictorTan.