LAFC lost a heartbreaker to Orlando City in the Quarterfinals of the MLS is Back Tournament
For the second year in a row, LAFC found itself on the heartbreaking end of a grueling match.
LAFC carried a 1-0 lead into the final minutes of its quarterfinal matchup if the MLS is Back Tournament against Orlando City, but a last-minute goal by a former player kept Orlando alive, and gave the opportunity for a worldwide star to redeem himself in the penalty shootout, and Orlando pulled off the upset of favored LAFC.
It was Joao Moutinho, LAFC’s first-ever Superdraft selection in 2018, that came back to haunt LAFC, as his header at the start of stoppage time rescued Orlando for near-certain elimination, and it was Nani, who redeemed himself from coming up short on a penalty early in the second half by converting the penalty in the shootout that saw the de facto home team through to the Semifinals.
Orlando had already achieved something in this match, as they kept LAFC out of the back net in the first half, something LAFC’s four opponents in the tournament had failed to do. Then it looked like Orlando would take the lead in the 56th minute when Diego Palacios’ hard tackle on Ruan inside the penalty area left referee Joseph Dickerson with no choice but to whistle for the penalty spot. Nani stepped up to the spot, but keeper Kenneth Vermeer came through for LAFC, as he parried Nani’s attempt over the end line.
Three minutes later, LAFC made Orlando pay for the missed penalty. Diego Rossi pressured Jhegson Méndez into a turnover, then broke for goal from the right side. Rossi dribbled towards the end line, then crossed into the six-yard box and Bradley Wright-Phillips snuck in between two Orlando City defenders and finished the point-blank chance to stake LAFC to the lead.
LAFC maintained its lead for the next 30 minutes, though Orlando had two dangerous chances during that span. Nani took a shot in the 64th minute that deflected off Eddie Segura and forced Vermeer to make a save to prevent what would’ve been an LAFC own goal. In the 73th minute, Nani shot for the far post, the shot caught Vermeer flat-footed, but the shot just missed the back post.
The match headed for stoppage time, and LAFC looked like it had things well in hand, but Orlando had one more chance, and finally, they cashed it in. Orlando had a corner, Nani sent the corner into the penalty area at the back post and Joao Moutinho beat Jordan Harvey to the ball and his header beat Vermeer for a shock equalizer.
In the shootout, LAFC’s Francisco Ginella and Orlando’s Mauricio Pereyra converted their side’s respective first penalties, but the key moment came when Harvey sent his penalty off the crossbar, gifting another opportunity to seize control, which they did, as Kyle Smith converted Orlando’s second penalty to put them ahead. LAFC and Orlando converted their next two penalties, though Vermeer came close to saving one of those penalties, as he got his hands on Antonio Carlos’ penalty, but not enough to prevent the goal. Latiff Blessing kept LAFC alive by converting his penalty, but all that did was set the stage for Nani to make amends for his saved penalty Nani made a stutter step, then shot left, Vermeer went the opposite direction, and Orlando emerged as the winner.
