Despite Martin Ojeda’s hat trick, hosts Orlando City had to compromise on Saturday night with the New England Revolution for a draw 3-3.
The match marked Ojeda’s first hat trick in the form of Orlando City (4-2-6, 18 points), designed for prime playoff positioning. Lions extended their unbeaten line into ten matches, while New England (5-4–2, 17 points) saw the streak of their victory in five matches. In Ojeda and Carls Gill, two MVP candidates made a chance after a chance as the match was rapidly full of retaliation.
After an early saving shot in the box, Ojeda scored Orlando City opener on a 24 -minute mark. The Argentina’s attacker defeated his marker and drunk on the edge of the box before rocketing his shot against the crossbar. The ball hit from under the bar and rolled Lions with an early advantage.
Ojeda removed Orlando’s lead after nine minutes. He was well placed by Joran Gerbett via the ball before taking two ravs guards.
The final product of the attacker sequence – a shot slot in the lower corner – put the game firmly in the match of Orlando in 33 minutes.
Midfielder Alhasan Yusuf quickly responded, cutting Lions’ lead 2–1. Wheeped-in cross of Ignatius songs found a Ilaya fingold near Baseline. Fingold knocked the ball with a touch towards the center of the box, where Yusuf tucks the ball into the corner of the net.
New England leveled the moments of the match before a set piece. Coming out of a corner, Gill’s in-swinging cross found the matte polster open in the box. Polls header at the Point-Blanc range defeated Lions Keeper Pedro Gallis (three saves) in the 44th minute.
Ojeda completed her hat trick when she sent Revs Keeper Aljaz Ivasic (Save five) from the spot. Orlando was awarded a penalty after a long VAR check to determine whether the defender Tanner Besan had kicked Gerbett on the face during the set-piece position.
When Orlando’s Robin Johnson implicated Luis Diaz in the penalty box, Revs was awarded late penalty. Gill peacefully dropped the match 3-3 in the 85th minute to drop his fine up to the match level.
Orlando almost got a final minute equal to Ramiro Enrich. However, the referee denied the goal for offside when Duncan McGir removed the ball from an offset position. Despite the speed towards them, Lions did not get the target of pushing them to the edge and giving them three points.
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