• Final stats

ORLANDO, Fla. – Entering Orlando City SC’s bout with the No. 1 team in the Eastern Conference, head coach Jason Kreis said his team would meet its “most severe test to date.”

Atlanta United FC lived up to that expected level of play, as City (6-3-1, 19 points) fell 2-1 at Orlando City Stadium Sunday evening in front of 24,232 fans. With their third loss of the season, the Lions’ record six-game win streak comes to an end.

“An emotional, emotional affair tonight. Passionate affair from the crowd to the staff, to the players,” Kreis said after City’s first loss since March 17. “I think everybody put everything that they had into this game. It’s unfortunate ’cause I think the way we played in the second half–I think on…a lot of different nights already this season, we walk out of there with a draw.

“But some things went against us, for sure. Some decisions went against us, and some of the play, some of our thoughts in the first half surely went against us.”

One of those decisions that went against the Lions came in the ninth minute. City midfielder Cristian Higuita was called for a foul on United midfielder Greg Garza inside the penalty box, awarding the visiting side an early penalty-kick attempt.

United leading goal-scorer Josef Martínez struck it from the spot in the 10th minute for his league-leading eighth goal of the season and a 1-0 lead.

“I saw Cristian, and he did raise his hands. And I don’t know if there was physical contact or not. Let’s hope that there was some contact,” Kreis said. “But the player went down extremely softly. And, for me, that type of penalty should never be called in a game like this.”

In the 31st minute, Atlanta doubled its lead behind an assist by Garza.

Midfielder Ezequiel Barco initiated the movement and scored the goal, as he attacked a scrambling City defense down the middle-left flank. He sent the ball to Garza in space outside the left part of the box, and Garza returned the ball for a one-timed shot that banged off the bottom of the crossbar for a 2-0 lead.

That was it for Atlanta, though, as five of their eight shots came in the first half. City held United to 41.1 percent possession and only one on-target effort in the final 45 minutes.

Midfielder Oriol “Uri” Rosell, who replaced Higuita at halftime, could have been the difference, as he played a season-high 45 minutes.

“I’m feeling good. But the result, you know, is the worst part,” Rosell said after the match. “I think it’s good to have minutes, and, every time I play, I feel much better.”

City found their first and only goal from the match from someone who had yet to score in 2018: forward Justin Meram.

In the 57th minute, midfielder Will Johnson found significant space near the top of the box and blasted a heavy, on-target shot that goalkeeper Alec Kann parried away. The ensuing rebound fell behind an unsuspecting Atlanta defender and in front of a forward-moving Meram.

The first-year City player, then, settled the ball with his left foot and readjusted to strike the ball to the far post with his right, halving United’s lead. Meram proceeded to plug both his ears in front of the Wall.

“It felt good,” Meram said after the game with a pause, “to silence the haters.”

City pushed for an equalizer when second-half subs Josué Colmán (66th minute) and Stéfano Pinho (74th minute) entered the match.

Two of City’s six corners in the second half were generated by Colmán’s ability to stay on the ball. As for Pinho, he provided a body inside the box and nearly recreated the same equalizing magic he produced in City’s season-opening draw with D.C. United.

In the 81st minute, forward Dom Dwyer received the ball in open space on the right side and promptly crossed the ball to a cutting Pinho. The ball, however, barely sliced behind Pinho, missing all bodies.

“We had to have more control of this match. Otherwise, Atlanta is going to hurt us,” Kreis said. “And, then, when we allowed the first goal on a really difficult decision, I think that’s at the moment where all of the players started to be really, really hectic, much too direct, giving the ball away way too often, and then they’re catching us in transition.”

Midfielder Miguel Almirón nearly put the game away with a 74th-minute effort from inside the box. Meram gave away the ball near his own right corner, as Héctor Villalba pounced on it. Villalba subsequently took two touches into the box and slotted it to an open Almirón for a near-post shot that missed by inches.

Who’s Next?

The Lions will travel to face Toronto FC on Friday at 8 p.m. Toronto is struggling in the early-season going, boasting just a 2-6-1 record. TFC forward Sebastian Giovinco will miss the match because of a red-card suspension.

Edits Log:

• 5/14/18, 12:55 p.m.: Fixed a factual error regarding Meram’s celebration after his first goal of the season.

For more on the Lions, as they look to start a new winning streak, follow Victor Tan on Twitter at @NDR_VictorTan.

To contact Victor, you can email him at vtan@newdayreview.com.