RECAP: Lions Defeat Real Salt Lake 3-1 for 6th Straight Victory

Orlando City SC (6-2-1, 19 points) scored three unanswered goals in the second half to defeat Real Salt Lake (3-5-1, 10 points) 3-1 on Sunday at Orlando City Stadium. Defender Lamine Sané scored his first goal as a Lion and goalkeeper Joe Bendik made a season-high eight saves as City won a Club-record sixth straight game.

“Obviously another afternoon or evening that I’m really, really pleased. Really pleased with the players’ mentality and their character,” Lions head coach Jason Kreis said. “It says a lot that we can continue to come back from difficult situations, being a goal down in the first half after I thought we started so incredibly brightly. It was difficult for the guys. In the beginning of the second half there were some difficulties again, but we continued to push, we continued to believe, we continued to stay together and we get the result I think in the end we deserved.”

Real Salt Lake opened the scoring in the 12th minute when Damir Kreilach put Corey Baird in behind for a chip into the back of the net. City dominated possession the remainder of the half, taking 10 shots and earning five corners.

The Lions got on the board in the 61st minute. Sacha Kljestan raced up the pitch before pulling up and chipping it for Dom Dwyer to head into the back of the net. It was Dwyer’s sixth goal in six appearances in 2018 and Kljestan’s fourth assist of the season.

City took the lead three minutes later following an incredible sequence. Baird was in alone but Bendik made a leaping kick save. The Lions quickly regained the ball, pushed up the pitch and earned a corner kick. Yoshimar Yotún curled an in-swinger to Sané for the eventual game-winner.

Yotún scored his third goal of the season and his second in as many games when he blasted Dwyer’s rebound into the net. Yotún now has two goals and three assists in his last three games.The match saw Chris Schuler make his Club debut. Schuler was signed on March 2 after playing eight seasons at Real Salt Lake. It was City’s fourth come-from-behind victory during its six-game winning streak. City’s six consecutive wins are the most by any team in MLS this season.

The Lions return to Orlando City Stadium on Sunday, May 13, to host Atlanta United FC at 6 p.m. ET.

Photos: Alex Menendez