Orlando City SC scored a dramatic eMLS win in Saturday's friendly with Columbus Crew SC, notching a golden goal in the decisive third match to take home the victory after the two-leg series finished level on aggregate.
The teams were controlled by each club's pro FIFA player representatives with Abe Valbuena (FIFA_abe) manning the Lions, and Graham Ellix (SKaMzZ1992) at the helm for Crew SC.
Valbuena put Orlando on top just minutes from the halftime whistle of the first leg with a goal from Dom Dwyer, but Columbus would draw level in the 52nd minute courtesy of a wide-open finish from Fanendo Adi. Down to 10 men after a red card, Ellix found the go-ahead goal in the 85th minute of the first leg after a gorgeous sequence that saw him slice through the defense and set up Gyasi Zardes with a tap-in finish into an open net to take a 2-1 advantage into Leg 2.
Orlando would level it in the 42nd minute of the second leg, though, with another tally from Dwyer to pull the aggregate score to 2-2. Columbus would retake the lead in the 64th after a giveaway set Zardes up with a curling finish from inside the area, but Valbuena pulled off some late theatrics, finding an equalizer from Chris Mueller that would force the third match.
The result would be decided with a golden goal in the 16th minute, as Nani snuck in behind the defense, collected a feed, and blasted home the decisive finish, giving Orlando and Valbuena the 4-3 aggregate victory. Check out the highlight of the winner below.
