DC United 1, Orlando City SC 2 | 2017 MLS Match Recap

D.C. United's three-game winning streak thudded to a halt on Saturday night as Orlando City SC rode first-half goals from Cyle Larin and Giles Barnes to a 2-1 victory at RFK Stadium, United's seventh home loss in their final season at the venerable venue. 

It marks the Lions' first league win since June 30 and only their second since May 31, and it may provide a bit of levity for their fans back home as they and the rest of Florida gird themselves for the arrival of Hurricane Irma.

City finished the match with nine men thanks to late red cards for Servando Carrasco and Seb Hines, and Kofi Opare halved the deficit in the final minutes to set up a tense finish. But the Black-and-Red were unable to dig out a late leveler and remain in the MLS Eastern Conference basement.

• No room for Kaká in Lions XI as Larin, Dwyer click

Goals

• 19' – ORL – Cyle Larin Watch
• 28' – ORL – Giles Barnes Watch
• 89' – DC – Kofi Opare Watch

Three Things

A WEIRD ONE: This game had a "Last Chance Saloon" feel to it, with both teams fighting tooth and nail to sustain their hopes of staying in the postseason hunt. The physical affair nearly boiled over with a flurry of late flashpoints, highlighted by the late slide on Paul Arriola that earned Carrasco his second yellow (his first was given for time wasting) and the off-the-ball scrap between Hines and Lloyd Sam that left the Lions two players short by the final whistle. 

SAYONARA, SUMMER SWOON: It was a rough summer for Orlando, who won just once in a 13-game span of league action between Saturday's victory and their 2-0 win over D.C. back on May 31. That brutal stretch hammered their playoff ambitions, though they retain some flickering hopes after bagging these three points. Now in 8th place in the East with 34 points from 28 games, they need the teams around them to drop a hefty number of points if they are to make a late run.

RICKY IN RESERVE
: It's probably no coincidence that the Lions' aforementioned slump featured just one goal and four assists from
Kaká
and two goals and one assist from Larin. Kaká was limited to a substitute's role in D.C., raising further questions about where the Brazilian fits into OCSC's plans at this stage. But he did share a friendly moment with his countryman
Marcelo Sarvas
at game's end:

Next Up

• DC: Saturday, Sept. 16 – at Chicago (8:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE)
• ORL: Saturday, Sept. 16 – at Atlanta (4 pm ET | Univision, facebook.com in US, ​MLS LIVE in Canada)