Orlando City has walked away from this year’s U.S. Open Cup competition. And Justin Ellis has walked over to the U.S. Men’s National Team for a bit.
One of the Lions’ major goal contributors who is a bit quiet – at least in the supporters’ stands – is striker Justin Ellis. As Orlando City SC finished on the low end, 2-1, against Columbus Crew in the U.S. Open Cup, he had lined up right next to the frequently chanted name Antoine Griezmann.
The one score by the Lions was partly engineered by Ellis. He snagged the ball deep in the midfield, took it solo through several Columbus defenders, then punched it to Martin Ojeda. He took the shot from distance and equalized in the 40th minute. His 12th assist across all competitions leads the team.
Josef Martinez scored his first-ever goal for the Crew in the ninth minute on a ball from Santiago Rodriguez.
Ellis ensured that Ojeda got closer Ojeda got closer to matching Facundo Torres' record of 47 career goals for Orlando record of 47 career goals for Orlando. He’s now just two away across all competitions.
The equalizing score also put a lot of pressure on Columbus. The Crew is going nowhere in the MLS Eastern Conference, riding just third from the bottom. They’ve enjoyed new life in the U.S. Open Cup. In the first half of this match with the Lions, they threatened to reach the competition’s final game for just the second time since they won it in 2002.
Since then, this is only the second time they made the semi-final round.
But by the 52nd minute, the Crew got to play with the lead once more. Midfielder Brais Mendez got another nice pass from Santiago Rodriguez and banked it. That sent the Crew once more to the final U.S. Open Cup match.
As things got quiet on the Lions’ side of the pitch, the word got out that Justin Ellis got his first call-up to the senior U.S. Men’s National Team. On the 28-player roster for this September-October international window, he’s one of 13 uncapped players.
Ellis has earned his spot on Orlando’s senior team. His 10 assists in MLS play are just one shy of the league record set by a teenager. That was set at 11 assists by Alphonso Davies in 2018. Then it was matched just this year by Cavan Sullivan of the Philadelphia Union. Ellis will set a new record shortly.
Just watch Orlando City SC once Justin Ellis returns.
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