By Official Florida FC
Orlando City’s perfunctory 1-0 win over Toronto FC last week helped the Lions continue their best start to a Major League Soccer season.
Orlando City is second in the Eastern Conference with 12 points from six matches.
Tesho Akindele scored in the 12th minute, following an assist from club debutant Silvester van der Water. Akindele has either scored or conjured an assist in every match Orlando City has won this year.
“We could have been more polished in our finishing, but we have to recognize that Toronto has some options too and highlight the performance of our team defense,” head coach Oscar Pareja told the team’s website afterward. “Everybody working the way we needed when they were pushing us and that just makes us enjoy the three points even more.”
The Lions (3-0-3) are one of three undefeated teams in Major League Soccer. Nashville (2-0-4, 10 points) and Seattle (5-0-2, 17 points) are the others. Seattle is averaging a league-leading two goals per game. Meanwhile, Orlando has conceded twice in 540 MLS minutes this season.
Orlando beat Toronto FC with out its captain, Nani. The Portuguese was suspended for two matches after making unwanted physical contact with a referee in Orlando’s 1-0 win over D.C. United on May 16. Nani will miss Saturday’s trek to Red Bull Arena to face a New York Red Bulls (2-4, 6 points) side that has lost two straight.
With Nani suspended, Alexandre Pato injured and Daryl Dike on national team duty Akindele, van der Water and winger Chris Mueller will be relied upon to spur an attack that has only scored seven goals this season. Outside of a 3-0 win over a porous F.C. Cincinnati defense, Orlando has not scored multiple goals in a game this season.