Ruan scored his third career MLS goal early and added a slick assist just before halftime, and Orlando City SC held on for a 2-1 victory over Charlotte FC on Saturday night at Exploria Stadium.
Facundo Torres added his second goal of the campaign for Orlando, which bounced back from a 3-0 home defeat to the New York Red Bulls a week ago in which they failed to record a shot on target.
Christian Fuchs pulled a goal back for Charlotte by converting the club's first-ever penalty kick after Alan Franco got behind Orlando's backline and induced Rodrigo Schlegel into a late challenge.
But Pedro Gallese's goal was rarely challenged afterward as the visitors left still in search of their first-ever away win after six attempts following a promising draw at Colorado in their fifth last weekend.
Goals
Three Things
- THE BIG PICTURE: Orlando center back Robin Jansson received his fifth yellow card of the campaign and will serve a one-match suspension in Week 10, while Lions attacker Silvester van der Water departed late with an apparent left leg injury. Meanwhile, Kamil Jozwiak made his debut in a 22-minute shift off the bench for Charlotte. The Polish international signed for the expansion club in March, finally got cleared to join team training in mid-April and joins compatriot Karol Swiderski on manager Miguel Angel Ramirez’s roster.
- MOMENT OF THE MATCH: Yes, the sight of Ruan scoring is unusual. But so is a fullback showing the composure inside the 18 that he displayed on Orlando’s second, when he made a long run behind the visitors’ backline and then played an extremely cool square ball to a wide-open Torres for an easy tap-in.
- MAN OF THE MATCH: Ruan, as if there was any doubt. The Brazilian defender had come under fire locally for his part in the Week 8 loss to the Red Bulls. But life isn’t so much about the mistakes you make as it's how you respond to them. And this was one heck of a response.
Up Next
- ORL: Saturday, May 7 at CF Montréal | 4 pm ET (MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in the US and DAZN in Canada)
- CLT: Saturday, May 7 vs. Inter Miami CF | 3:30 pm ET (UniMas, TUDN, Twitter)
