Orlando City SC came from two goals down in the second half to defeat the Seattle Sounders 3-2 on Wednesday at Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Fla. Albert Rusnák and Raúl Ruidíaz put Seattle in front before the Lions scored three unanswered from Facundo Torres, Ercan Kara and Kyle Smith.
After a nearly two-hour weather delay before kickoff, Rusnák opened the scoring for the Sounders in the 26th minute on a beautiful free kick from 25 yards out. The goal was the Slovakian international’s third of the MLS season.
Orlando City nearly equalized six minutes later, but Stefan Frei denied Mauricio Pereyra from the penalty spot. Frei had an even better save in the 36th minute when he kept out an Iván Angulo header from the doorstep.
Ruidíaz scored his seventh goal of the year in the 52nd minute to double the advantage. Jordan Morris beat Rodrigo Schlegel on a counterattack and his cross to Ruidíaz bounced around in the box before Ruidíaz tapped it home from a yard out.
Orlando answered immediately when Torres fired home his sixth goal of the year one minute later.
The Lions equalized in the 68th minute when Kara converted from the penalty spot after Morris was whistled for a handball on a corner kick.
Orlando found another late winner, its third in as many matches, when Smith’s shot from close range deflected past Frei in the first minute of stoppage time. The goal was originally whistled offside but was overturned upon Video Review.
The Sounders end the match in 10th in the Western Conference playoff picture, six points behind the final playoff spot.
THREE TAKEAWAYS
Rusnák finding form
Seattle’s offseason Designated Player acquisition has two goals in his last four matches and showed off just how much quality he has on Wednesday. The Sounders will need him to continue this momentum as they push to climb the table.
Stefan Frei shines
It’s not often a goalkeeper’s performance is praised when he concedes three times in a loss, but Frei was magnificent on Wednesday evening. He made five saves, including the first penalty, and kept the Sounders in the match with brilliant stop after brilliant stop.
Back to Seattle
The Sounders finished their three-match road swing and head home for a Sunday clash at Lumen Field against the Houston Dynamo (6:08 p.m. PT; FOX 13+, Prime Video, 93.3 KJR FM, El Rey 1360AM | TICKETS).
