Orlando City SC begins a stretch of eight games with a home match against the Colorado Rapids.

90'+: Rivas gets taken down outside the left part of Colorado's box. Free kick coming.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

They don't come any easier than that! #VamosOrlando pic.twitter.com/Hi8XWEtp0L — Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) April 29, 2017

90'+: GOAL. Kaka scores easily on the rebound. Larin bounced it off the right post 1st.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

90': Ball was cleared, and Kaka leads the counter.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

90': Corner coming from the left after the deflection on that shot for Colorado.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

87': Corner from the left coming. Kaka will take it.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

86': Sutter really doing well to help City maintain possession late.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

84': SUBSTITUTION. Luis Gil comes on for Cristian Higuita.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

80′: Free kick for City coming from the left. It’s about 5 yards outside the box. Kaka on the ball.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

79′: SUBSTITUTION. Shkelzen Gashi comes on for Kevin Doyle.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

74′: YELLOW. Tommy Redding gets the booking for a foul in City’s 3rd.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

That had some pop behind it. Dirty, dirty, dirty. What a golazo from 🚀 pic.twitter.com/dqECCov0qZ — Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) April 29, 2017

70′: GOAL. Carlos Rivas fires away from the top-left part of the box. That was an absolute 🚀.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

68′ | What a sequence from Sutter and Will Johnson to find the head of a Cyle… 0-0 | #ORLvCOL pic.twitter.com/RrNujAak3U — Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) April 29, 2017

69′: SHOT. Larin gets a head on the ball serviced by Will Johnson. MacMath uses 1 hand to deflect it. What an effort.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

66′ | Oh Captain… Kaka comes inches from blowing the lid off the building. 0-0 | #ORLvCOL pic.twitter.com/LJ5KvdELOv — Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) April 29, 2017

66′: SHOT. Kaka lets the ball drop in front of him, takes a touch and fires 1 toward goal. It goes JUST to the right.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

64′: Corner from the left coming for City. Right in front of the Wall.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

Crowd really getting into it now since Kaka entered the game.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

61′: Cross into Larin bounces off the Canadian, falls Rivas, who just misses it with his foot. Foul was called, though.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

61′: Kaka sneaks a ball in behind Colorado’s back-line to Rivas, who centers it, but no one is there.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

59′ | Orlando City substitution: Giles off for Carlos and Kaka is on for MPG. 0-0 | #ORLvCOL pic.twitter.com/yptGWvFYa9 — Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) April 29, 2017

59′: SUBSTITUTION. Carlos Rivas comes on for Giles Barnes. Kaka comes on for MPG.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

58′: Spector fouls, and the ensuing free kick results in a goal kick.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

58′: SUBSTITUTION. Dominique Badji comes on for Alan Gordon.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

55′: Larin falls to the ground w/ no foul call, and Higuita gets the foul called on him. Crowd is not happy.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

52′: CB Jared Watts just drops to the ground as a pass rolls past him out of bounds. Team huddles around him.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

52′: CB Bobby Burling just drops to the ground as a pass rolls past him out of bounds. Team huddles around him.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

49′: Corner from the right coming for Colorado.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

47′: Rivas has joined Kaka in warm-ups.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

3 yellow cards b/w both teams so far this game. MPG has 1, Doyle and Azira have 1 for Colorado.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

HALFTIME: @OrlandoCitySC 0, @ColoradoRapids 0. City is not without its chances this match so far, playing w/ good energy.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

45’+: Nocerino strikes one from the top of the box, but it flies into the stands.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

45’+: Higuita barely gets off a shot from the top of the box, but it gets deflected.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

45′: Alan Gordon goes down after Spector got an incidental hit on his face. Spector and Gordon shake hands afterward.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

42′: The 3rd corner went too far past the far post, and it’s a goal kick for Colorado.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

42′: On the rebound, Sutter inserts it back in. It’s deflected for another corner from the left.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

41′: And another one. This time it’s punched away.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

40′: Corner from the left coming for City. Will Johnson will kick it.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

38′: Ref calls for the corner after Bendik seemingly kept it inbounds. Corner from the right coming.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

37′: Mohammed Saeid limps off the pitch, favoring his right leg.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

36′: YELLOW. MPG gets booked this time after the foul at midfield. Colorado’s Marlon Hairston takes exception to the foul.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

35′: YELLOW. Higuita goes down, and Michael Azira gets booked.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

33′: Group of players warming up, including Rivas, Aja, Servando. No Kaka, though.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

31′: SHOT. Donny Toia tries to strike it from the top-left part of the box, but it goes high over the goal.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

30′: Corner from the right coming for Orlando. MPG will take it. The ball just rolled into the corner flag.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017



It’s all tied up at 1-1 in North Carolina.

Meanwhile, the Pride even things up in North Carolina. Camila gets off a beautiful strike across her body.#NCvORL #NWSL https://t.co/gtBH1ik72N — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

26′: Barnes goes high for the ball and does not land on his feet. Ref helps him up, and he looks alright. Holding his hip.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

21′: Cross by Will Johnson into Colorado’s box is well defended. The look was going to a cutting Cyle Larin.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

20′: YELLOW. Kevin Doyle shoves Sutter down near the right sideline. Free kick coming.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

15′: SHOT. MPG’s stabs gets the ball to Johnson at the top of the box. His one-timer goes wide left.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

12′: Sutter crosses one into Larin into Colorado’s box, but it goes just too far in front. Goal kick coming.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

10′: Cyle Larin charged MacMath, and he almost deflected it on the clear.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017



This is the first corner of the match.

6′: Corner from the right coming. Sutter headed it into Larin, who tried to pass it back, but it was deflected.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

4′: Barnes chips one over his head, leading Cyle toward goal. His volley attempt goes wide left.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

2′ | A Giles Barnes cross finds Nocerino around the penalty spot and the Italian almost gives City the lead. 0-0 | #ORLvCOL pic.twitter.com/W1NbEjKJ0X — Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) April 29, 2017

2′: SHOT. Good chance by Nocerino on the one-timer. He got the pass from inside the box by Barnes.#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

I thoroughly enjoyed that national anthem. Perhaps the best so far this season in Orlando City Stadium?#ORLvCOL #OCSC — New Day Review (@NewDayReview) April 29, 2017

Colorado will be without starting goalkeeper Tim Howard, who is serving a three-game suspension. The Rapids will also be without defender Kortne Ford, who is serving a one-game suspension.

For Jason Kreis and his team, they’re not focused on the Howard loss. Here’s what Kreis had to say during training this week.

It just doesn’t affect it too much, right? We don’t do a whole lot of talking about the goalkeepers, to be honest. Those are the guys that are just there to stop the very last play. So, we prepare the same exact way.

And here’s what right-back Scott Sutter had to say.

No, I wouldn’t have thought so. We all know how good a keeper he is. He’s definitely a player they’re gonna miss, but we just need to make sure that we play our game. We’re playing at home, and I think we should really try and show the confidence level that we have at the moment with the four wins at home. So, it doesn’t really matter who’s in goal. We just need to play our game, and, obviously, we go out there to win.

Here’s a neat note about midfielder Cristian Higuita. As soon as he heard that Jason Kreis would be the new head coach in Orlando, the Colombian began watching film on Kreis’ past teams and the diamond formation.

Well I did it because I noticed that I could be one of the players. I know we have players like Servando [Carrasco] and Antonio [Nocerino] that they play more as a No. 6, that it’s a little bit more defensive, and I knew I was capable of going forward and also defending. So I knew that was a possibility for me. So I was preparing myself to be able to take that role, and I’m glad I’m doing it well right now.

Center-back Seb Hines, on the other hand, played a full 45 minutes in the 0-0 draw against Saint Louis on Thursday. It was his first time playing in the new stadium.

One injured player who still has not returned to the playing squad is right-back Rafael Ramos. The 22-year-old was supposed to dress and play against Saint Louis FC with Orlando City B but experienced some tightness in his hamstring the day before and did not dress. Here’s another quick read on that.

Check out our quick read on Jason Kreis’ and Cyle Larin’s approach to last-place Colorado. In short, they’re not taking this team lightly.

Colombian striker Carlos Rivas will start the match on the bench today. ICYMI, here’s a picture of him with his son Dylan during training this week.

Cristian Higuita is in the starting lineup. He popped his shoulder out of its socket in the 2-1 win in New York City. Here’s what he had to say about the injury and his status.

I feel fine. I had an issue with my shoulder, but I’m recovering fine. I hope to continue contributing to the squad this weekend.

I don’t wish that to anyone. It did hurt a lot. And I actually wanted to continue. They put it back in, and I wanted to continue playing, but Coach made the decision because I wasn’t 100 percent. Coach made the decision of taking me out the game, but I’m fine now.

Midfielder Ricardo Kaká is on the bench to start the match. Here’s what head coach Jason Kreis had to say about his progress during training this week.

Ricky looks pretty good so far. He’s really been very limited in a number of sessions he’s been available for, and that’s why the decision was made last week that he wasn’t included in the group. He was only included in two full sessions in the two days before the game. There was not enough work to know whether or not he was ready to go into the New York City game and take that kind of risk we weren’t willing to do. So, this week, with another—he trained Monday, the day after the match, with the group that trained then, and he trained today fully, and he’ll train tomorrow, then Friday, and we believe that that should put him in a better position for this weekend.

It’s 90 degrees here in Orlando today. In Commerce City, Colorado, where the Colorado Rapids play their home games, it’s 31 degrees. We’ll see if the weather plays a factor in today’s match.