Orlando City top FC Dallas, in playoffs for fifth straight year
Ramiro Enrique had a goal and an assist and Martin Ojeda added a pair of assists, as Orlando City cruised to a 3-0 win over FC Dallas in Frisco, Texas, to clinch a spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs for the fifth straight season.
Rodrigo Schlegel and Facundo Torres also scored for Orlando (13-11-7, 46 points), who won for the fourth time in five matches while improving to 9-3-1 in its last 13.
Dallas (10-14-7, 37 points), 10th place in the Western Conference and eight points out of a playoff spot, dropped to 1-3-1 in its last five matches.
Orlando took a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute through Enrique, as he placed a perfect header from a Rafael Santos cross from the left side of the box past Dallas goalkeeper Maarten Paes. It was Enrique's sixth goal of the season.
Schlegel made it a 2-0 match in the 51st minute as he met an Ojeda corner kick with a header that evaded a diving save attempt by Paes. The goal was just the second for Schlegel in nearly four seasons with Orlando. For Ojeda, it was his team-high 12th assist of the season
Torres made it 3-0 with his team-high 13th goal of the season, taking a pass from Enrique on a Dallas giveaway and firing past Paes.
Dallas ended Orlando's shutout bid in the 78th minute as Paul Arriola scored from the penalty spot. It appeared to make it 3-2 in second-half stoppage time, but the goal was disallowed after a video review as Arriola was ruled offside in the lead-up.
Orlando held a 7-5 edge in shots on goal.
Paes finished the night with four saves in the loss. Orlando goalkeeper Pedro Gallese was credited with five saves.
This story was originally published September 28, 2024, 11:20 PM.
