Christ.
So Orlando won their first playoff game in a 3 hour, 10 minute marathon of absolute shithousery.
5’ - ORL goes up 1-0 on a PK.
8’ - NYCFC equalizes
Chippy, ugly soccer
Late in the second (82-ish minute), ORL’s starting right back gets a straight red, so ORL has to finish down a man.
Regulation ends 1-1 and we go to extra time.
Extra time is better soccer; fairly open where NYC’s man advantage feels non-existent. No goals, but ORL gets a delay of game yellow (which will matter).
We go to PKs... best of five.
NYC: - - - - -
ORL: - - - - -
NYC hits their first shot of the cross-bar... then goals until NYC’s fifth shooter.
NYC - OXXX -
ORL - XXXX -
Thus begins the most bizarre, inconceivably embarrassing officiating sequence I’ve ever seen in pro sports. Actually. All sports.
NYC shoots and ORL saves. Game should be over with ORL win, but ORL’s keeper jumped before the kick so NYC should get to retake. Laws of the game says that ORL’s keeper should get a verbal warning before the re-kick. However, the ref gives a second yellow which means ORL’s keeper is ejected from the game.
Now, Laws state that subs cannot happen during a shootout. However, the ref directs ORL to sub out their keeper. So ORL does. Backup keeper comes in, lines up and prepares for the kick.
But WAIT... the ref is listening to his ear piece then runs back to the sideline. There, an assistant pulls up the laws of the game on his phone to explain to the ref the sub should have never happened. So, backup keeper goes back off and a field player goes into goal. FINALLY, NYC gets to retake the kick.
NYC scores.
NYC - OXXXX
ORL - XXXX -
No biggie. We just have to score the next one, and it’s Nani shooting. A World Cup legend.
Saved.
NYC - OXXXX
ORL - XXXXO
Sudden death. And ORL has a center back in goal.
We keep shooting.
NYC - OXXXXX-
ORL - XXXXOX-
ORL SAVES! The Center back who is not a goalkeeper saves! Ref blows the whistle! ORL celebrates their (second) win of the shootout!
Wait. No.
NYC - OXXXXXO
ORL - XXXXOX-
The ref realizes his mistake. ORL still needs to take their final kick.
Goal.
Orlando wins.
Again. Finally.