Alexandre Pato and Benji Michel each scored a goal to lead Orlando City SC to a 2-0 win over CF Montreal on Sunday afternoon in the season opener for both teams in Orlando, Florida.
Mauricio Pereyra and Junior Urso each added an assist as Orlando City (1-0-0, three points) controlled the flow of play.
Pedro Gallese made two saves for the Lions for his 11th career MLS shutout.
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Montreal (0-1-0, zero points) played with 10 players after Romell Quioto received a red card for violent conduct in the 66th minute. Quioto shoved Orlando City’s Antonio Carlos and Robin Jansson to earn the ejection.
But Orlando City also fell to 10 players in the 81st minute when Jansson was sent off for drawing his second yellow card of the game. He fired his first during the incident with Quioto.
Sebastian Breza made one save for Montreal.
Both teams shot eight times. Orlando City scored three and Montreal scored two.
Pato scored in the 49th minute to break the scoreless tie. It was the first MLS goal for the former Chelsea and AC Milan player, who joined Orlando last season but missed the 2021 campaign through injury.
Ruan had the ball on the right and sent a dribble pass to his left in front of the net. Breza got his hands on it, but not enough to stop him from reaching Pato, whose right-footed shot hit defender Gabriele Corbo on his way to find the net.
Orlando City scored another goal in the 59th minute after Montreal was unable to clear the ball for their side. The ball quickly made its way to Pereyra and it fed Michel, who fired a right-footed shot past Breza.
Montreal had a chance in the 90th minute, but Joaquin Torres sent the direct left-footed kick well over the net.
Orlando City had two good chances in the first half. Pereyra sent a right-footed shot over the net in the 29th minute and Pato missed a header in the 41st minute.
Montreal’s best opportunity in the half came in the 35th minute when Djordje Mihailovic’s right-hander was saved by Gallese.
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