• Final stats

ORLANDO, Fla – Former Orlando City SC head coach Adrian Heath returned to Orlando triumphantly, snagging three points in his first game back in Orlando since his firing in 2016.

“You don’t spend the time I did here and not have some emotional attachment,” the Minnesota United FC head coach said after the game. “This club made me and my family really welcome for six-and-a-half years. So, I’ll always be grateful for that.”

Minnesota (1-1-0, 4 points) delivered the Lions (0-1-1, 1 point) their first loss of the season, beating the home team 2-1 in front of an announced crowd of 24,038 Saturday night at Orlando City Stadium.

“After a night like tonight, I think we need to take a look at ourselves and figure out what it is that we need to improve upon this year and just keep doing that,” Orlando City head coach Jason Kreis said after the match. “Because we have a brand-new group of players together, it’s gonna take some time.”

United grabbed the winner when a flick from Mason Toye found a sprinting Miguel Ibarra open on the left side of the box. From there, he sent a cross to the other side of Joe Bendik to Ethan Finlay, who converted with a first-time touch with his right foot for his second goal of the game in the 79th minute to make it 2-1 Minnesota.

“The one thing about Ethan Finlay—he gives you everything he’s got every time he steps on the field,” Heath said. “He’s the same in training, so we know what we’re getting every time. But this will do his confidence good, and I think he’ll be able to build from that now.”

United drew first blood thanks to effective passing in Orlando’s third of the field. The sequence started with an over-the-head kick from Christian Ramirez back to Finlay, who headed it to Kevin Molino.

Then, Molino sent the ball through Orlando’s center backs back to Finlay, who tapped it above a diving Bendik into the top of the net for a 1-0 lead in the 12th minute while City fans hollered for an offside flag.

Molino, who started his season with a brace against the San Jose Earthquakes, continued his dominance on the offensive side of the ball for Minnesota until his night ended early when he was carried off on a stretcher after a non-contact injury in the 50th minute.

“It doesn’t look good for Kevin at the minute,” Heath said. “We’ll have a better idea on Monday, obviously. So, we’re all thinking of him.”

Sam Nicholson caused problems for Orlando City with his outside runs throughout the night. His pace and skill on the left side of the field left him alone on the edge of the box a few times, giving Minnesota opportunities with his crosses. Nicholson was taken off after picking up a knock in the 67th minute.

Center back Jonathan Spector wasn’t worried about letting United free on the wings, though.

“I don’t think that’s a major issue, giving them space wide. I think it’s better to force them wide than allow them to come down the middle,” Spector said after the game. “So, I don’t think that’s a major issue. I think when it does go wide, we need to keep it to one side better than we did this game.

“But I think keeping them wide, giving them space wide and not down the middle is actually the right thing to do.”

In his first start of the season, midfielder Richie Laryea helped set up the Lions’ first and only goal. Laryea, who drew 57 fouls in for Orlando City B last season, battled with Finlay for the ball as it headed toward the sideline and boxed out the Minnesota midfielder, drawing a foul.

After initially setting the ball for a free kick outside the box, referee Sorin Stoica consulted the video-assistant referee and later determined a penalty kick was in order. Yoshimar Yotún converted the equalizing penalty in the 42nd minute, sending it high and to his left, as United goalkeeper Matt Lampson dove low and to his left.

Orlando won the possession battle, once again but couldn’t manufacture enough chances to win. Justin Meram, who tallied two shots and an equalizing assist in the season opener, was smothered for most of the night. Of his game-high seven shots, only one was on-goal.

For Kreis, the debut of a true No. 10 in City’s lineup will give them the added boost of creativity they lacked this week.

“I think that [Sacha Klejstan] is an important player for us. I think that we compound the issue when we don’t have another No. 10 that’s healthy [with] Josué Colmán being injured,” Kreis said. “So, for the last two weeks, we’ve been playing players out of position to fill that spot, and I feel like we lacked just a little bit of quality.

“Nothing to do with the effort. I think the guys’ efforts have been fantastic. But, just tonight, for me, we just lacked a little bit of quality in the final third.”

Who’s Next?

Once again, a former coach will travel to face his former team. This time, it’s Kreis’ turn to visit his old club.

The Lions travel north on March 17 for their first away game of the season to face off against New York City FC at 3:30 p.m. at Yankee Stadium. Orlando has had success against its fellow 2015 expansion team, recording a 3-1-2 record against NYCFC in regular-season play.

For more on the Lions, as they continue to hunt for their first win, follow Tommy Cardinal on Twitter at @NDR_TomCardinal.