Orlando City draws Pittsburgh Riverhounds, Boden's goal salvages point for Lions

Photo: Ty Wright / Valencia Voice 

By Mike Gramajo  

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Orlando City’s final USL Pro home season didn’t get off to a great start. 

After conceding an early second-half goal, defender Luke Boden salvaged Orlando City SC one point, drawing 1-1 vs. the Pittsburgh Riverhounds on Saturday night at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. 

“We ended up chasing the game when you consider how much possession we had,” Orlando City head coach Adrian Heath told reporters after the game. “I got every confidence in this group, we scored a lot of goals in the last three years, and I guarantee we’ll score more goals this year.” 

Boden, who contributed in Orlando’s tying goal last week at Charleston, gave OCSC the 1-1 draw in the 57th minute after his cross towards the center box was reflected back to him, leaving him to drill the dead ball past the wall of defenders. 

“It was disappointed to draw than to win,” Boden told reporters. “We should of won the game, comfortably. We want to win the league and the championship, and with the group of players that  have, we can win. 

“The goals will come, I feel like everybody wants to beat us for the way that we play, that’s football. We have to keep playing how we are.” 

Despite maintaining possession for much of the game, the Lions would suffer a defensive collapse toward the early part of the second-half. Riverhounds forward Jose Angulo opened up the lead in the 49th minute after a miscue from defender Rob Valentino resulted into the Colombian slipping the ball past goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo. 

Final shot stats favored Orlando City, who outshot the Riverhounds 17-7, 12 of which came in the second half. 

The Lions come back the WWOS Complex when they meet the Rochester Rhinos on Saturday, April 5. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

Here are the match highlights: