Orlando City Soccer Club bounces back, earns 2-0 win over

Colorado
Orlando City winger Carlos Rivas has faced more criticism from fans through the first half of the
season than any other player on the Lions' roster.

The 21-year-old transferred to Orlando City from Deportivo Cali in Colombia with a designated
player tag and heavy expectations. Through the first 16 games of the season, he had failed to deliver
on them.
When Rivas entered against the Colorado Rapids on Wednesday night in the 38th minute, however,
he looked bent on changing the perceptions about him. In the second half, Rivas showed why
Orlando City's front office thought so highly of him.

Rivas turned on the jets in the 62nd minute and made Rapids defender Joseph Greenspan look like
he was standing still before delivering a perfect cross to Cyle Larin for an easy finish that sparked
Orlando City's 2-0 win over the Rapids Wednesday night at the Citrus Bowl.

Kak's brilliant far-post finish capped off another strong performance from the Lions.
"To put the effort in that they've done and to work as hard as they've done to get the result was
nothing short of fantastic," Orlando City coach Adrian Heath said after the win.
The win was Orlando City's third in a run of four games during an 11-day stretch, and it sent the
Lions (6-6-5, 23 pts.) into the mid-way point of their inaugural MLS season on a healthy run of just
one loss in their last seven games.

It was also an important night because of the impact of Rivas, who had entered for an injured Brek
Shea. If Rivas can string together multiple performances like the one against Colorado, the Lions
suddenly have a very dangerous weapon.

"I don't want to sit here and tell you I told you so, but I told you so," Heath said of Rivas. "It's a start
for him, but the kid has lots of qualities."

Orlando City was pressing for most of the night, and it seemed only a matter of time until the
Lions found the back of the net against a Colorado team that has managed just two wins all season
but has been one of the stingiest clubs in MLS.

The Rapids (2-5-9, 15 pts.) had allowed just 13 goals all season entering Wednesday night, and it
was the fourth time all season it allowed multiple goals in a game.
Goalkeeper Tally Hall kept the Lions in the game with two huge saves in the first 10 minutes,
stoning Luis Solignac on two clear open looks at goal, including a one-on-one blast Hall thwarted to
the delight of the announced crowd of 23,372.
But Orlando City seemed destined to find a goal after Kak missed two clear chances, one on each
side of halftime. On most nights, Kak would have finished both: The first, a clear run at goal with
defenders converging and a goalkeeper trying to close space; the second, an open shot from inside
of 10 yards.
Somehow neither found the back of the net. The first shot caromed off the face of Colorado
goalkeeper Clint Irwin and the second bounced off the inside of the post and across the face of the
net without going in.
Kak finally made good on his chances in the 65th minute.

With the crowd still buzzing from Larin's sixth goal of the season, Cristian Higuita led a quick
counter attack. Rivas on the left side seemed to pull the defenders because of his speed, and Higuita
sprayed the ball out to Kak, who took a few touches in the box and managed to thread his shot to
the far post past a helpless Irwin.
It was Kak's eighth goal of the season and it might have been his best in an Orlando City jersey.

The goal and the win served as a high point for Orlando City going into the second half of the
season.
Copyright 2015, Orlando Sentinel
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/orlando-city-lions/os-orlando-city-soccer-win-colorado-201506
24-story.html