After withstanding early barrage, New York City FC rallies to beat Orlando

Updated: Jul 17, 2025, 12:24 am

Andres Perea pressured his former team into an own goal in the 87th minute and Alonso Martinez scored the winner in second-half stoppage time as visiting New York City FC rallied to a stunning 2-1 win over Orlando City on Wednesday night.

Martinez's winner on the counter sealed only the second road win of the season for NYCFC (10-8-4, 34 points) and extended a winless run for Orlando (9-6-8, 35 points) to four matches.

It was his ninth goal of the season, tying Hannes Wolf for the team lead and sealing an improbable victory after Orlando dominated the first half and early portions of the second.

Matt Freese made six saves to keep NYCFC in the match despite struggling early.

Robin Jansson scored his first goal of the season and sixth in his seven-year MLS career for wasteful Orlando, which outshot NYCFC 14-3 overall and 4-0 in shots on target in the first half.

NYCFC finally crawled into the game in the final half-hour, showing the potential to punish the hosts' inefficiency.

In the 63rd minute, Martinez reached Perea's excellent cross from the left, but with Orlando City goalkeeper Pedro Gallese beaten, he struck the left post with his first-time effort.

Twenty-four minutes later, Perea's powerful corner kick header forced Gallese into an exceptional sprawling denial to his right.

But as defender Rodrigo Schlegel tried to clear the danger, he instead hammered a half-volley off teammate Kyle Smith and into his own goal.

Then, as Orlando tried to regain their advantage, it was caught with too many numbers forward following a corner kick.

The ball eventually fell to Martinez on the break, and he finished low and hard past Gallese, who could only charge off his line and hope for the best.

Jansson opened the scoring in the 36th minute. David Brekalo won the initial header from Martin Ojeda's corner to the back post and found Jansson in the middle of the box.

Jansson deftly took the ball off his chest, then fired in a low finish past Freese from about nine yards.

--Field Level Media