mls-en : Orlando City vs Toronto, 2023-07-04
Icaro
At Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Florida, Orlando City overwhelmed Toronto 4-0 before an energetic crowd on the evening of 4th July 2023. The victory was a further injection of momentum for Orlando City, who dominated the game start to finish mastering the midfield and creating an impressive offensive display.
Orlando City's César Araújo struck the first blow in the 16th minute, thanks to an assist from Rafael Santos, setting the tone for the game. Duncan McGuire added a second goal just six minutes later to give the hosts a firm grip on the game going into half time. The second half saw Orlando City show no signs of letting up. D. Þórhallsson delighted fans with the third goal, assisted by Araújo, in the 77th minute. E. Kara capped off a magisterial night with the fourth goal in the 84th minute, with M. Ojeda providing the assist, to leave the visitors in tatters.
Though it's just Chicago and Toronto, according to some Orlando fans, these victories against bottom-performing teams are significant as they signal the team's depth and improved chemistry. Comments from Orlando fans highlighted their excitement about the young talents on their team, especially Ojeda, who's been stepping up in recent weeks. The fans also praised their substitutes, including Enrique and Þórhallsson, for contributing to the victory, highlighting the team's depth.
On the other side, Toronto had nothing to cheer about. They failed to pose any serious threat to Orlando, with some of their key players like Bernardeschi and Akinola severely underperforming. Resounding sentiment from the Toronto fans suggests a serious need for a rebuild, with some criticizing the leadership of Bill Manning and others regretting their team's poor performance. The bleak performance left its mark on the Toronto fans, to the point that one suggested the song - "We never win at home, and we never win away" encapsulates their performance.
The match again underlined Orlando's ambition this season, while emphasizing the urgency of Toronto's need to rebuild. Orlando City look forward to testing their might against Real Salt Lake on July 9, while Toronto will aim to regroup before facing St. Louis City at home on July 8.