MIAMI, Florida – Facundo Torres scored a goal in each half to put Orlando City SC in control in their 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup Round One series with Canadian Premier League side Cavalry FC after a 3-0 victory in the first leg on Wednesday night at Starlight Stadium in Langford, British Columbia.
Orlando City will now return home looking to close things out next week in the second leg with a comfortable three-goal cushion.
The two teams traded punches from the very start, with both goalkeepers getting tested, including a reaction kick-save early on from Cavalry shot-stopper Marco Carducci.
Orlando City would be the ones to strike first, with Duncan McGuire getting just enough on a ball from the right flank from Martin Ojeda to redirect into net for a 1-0 lead in the 21’.
Orlando City were on the front foot and they stretched their lead to 2-0 in the 38’ through Torres, who had the time and space deep in the Cavalry area to rip a left-footed shot inside the near post.
Cavalry needed a response to pull a goal back in the tie and had a great look from defender Daan Komp in the 64’ when his header curled over the crossbar.
It was all Orlando City, though, and Torres tallied his second of the night in the 75’ on a wide-open header into net off a perfectly placed cross from Ivan Angulo, sealing the 3-0 victory for the Floridian visitors.
Orlando City's lead is stretched to 3-0 thanks to Facundo Torres' brace! ⚽ pic.twitter.com/gwyIiEELfk
— Concacaf Champions Cup (@TheChampions) February 22, 2024
