You won’t feel any better about rooting for Orlando City SC against Charlotte FC in the second playoff match. But it was a great game for either side.
So Orlando City SC lost Game 2 of their best-of-three playoff series against Charlotte FC. It finished with a 3-1 score on penalty kicks. They head back to Orlando for Game 3.
In the match that ended in a 0-0 draw in regulation, the place to watch was the goal each time the ball made it near. There the crowd saw the most athletic performances of goalkeepers they’ll ever see in the MLS.
In 90 minutes, the keepers saw only four shots on goal, with three of those coming from Charlotte. FC keeper Kristijan Kahlina made his single save in the 83rd minute when Ivan Angulo hit a right-footed shot at the net.
That doesn’t mean the Lions didn’t make Kahlina work. He had to execute 27 successful passes and hit six long balls to keep things moving.
Charlotte made Orlando keeper Pedro Gallese work even harder. His third save in the 49th minute required his ultimate athleticism. That’s when Charlotte forward Patrick Agyemang knocked a header toward the net.
But it was the first attempt of three that carried the highest expected goal calculation of 15%. That header came from forward Liel Abada in the 23rd minute.
Gallese kept his energy level up throughout the match. He went airborne numerous times to intercept through balls and crosses headed his way. He even had an opportunity for an aerial duel and won it.
While he fell to three of Charlotte’s penalty kicks, he remains one of the top MLS goalkeepers in reflexes, shot-stopping, and penalty defense.
He’s one of the main reasons that Orlando worked its way from a slow start to the MLS Eastern Conference playoffs.
He’s had two clean sheets against Charlotte FC. If Gallese gets one more in Game 3, Orlando City SC will have worked their way to the next stage of the MLS post-season.