Moussa Djitte scored the tying goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time as Austin FC stormed from behind to earn a 2-2 draw with visiting, short-handed Orlando City SC on Sunday in a wild interconference match.
Ercan Kara and Ruan Teixeira scored in the match’s first 22 minutes and Orlando City’s defense was stout despite playing two men down over the final 21 minutes until Djitte’s late tally. Djitte waited at the back post for a pass that bounced through the box before beating Orlando goalkeeper Pedro Gallese (three saves) to the top right corner.
Orlando City (6-4-3, 21 points) held on for a point in one of the toughest places to play in MLS.
Austin (7-3-3, 24 points), playing its third match in nine days, was uncharacteristically ragged, especially on the defensive end. The home team pressured throughout the second half and finally broke through with the equalizer in the waning moments.
Orlando City was handed a gift in the opening moments of the game. Austin goalkeeper Brad Stuver’s weak attempt at a clearing pass was swallowed up by the Lions’ Junior Urso, who quickly passed to a wide-open Kara in front of the goal. Kara made short work of the chance, beating Stuver (five saves) to the bottom-right corner to hand Orlando City a 1-0 lead.
The Lions added to their lead in the 22nd minute when Ruan cleaned up the rebound of a shot by Mauricio Pereyra that had been slapped aside by Stuver. The ball bounded out to Ruan, who got enough on his shot to get it past the Austin keeper.
Austin got back into the match in a wild sequence in the 60th minute. The Lions’ Rodrigo Schlegel was called for a hand ball just outside of the box, leading to a free kick by Sebastian Driuissi. Driussi’s free kick was into the wall but was deflected by a second hand ball by Schlegel, this time in the area, which resulted in a second yellow card and Schlegel being ruled off for accumulation.
Driussi then converted from the spot in the 63rd minute to pull the home side to within 2-1.
Orlando City was forced to play two men down when Cesar Araujo was assessed a red card for attempting to kick Austin captain Alex Ring after a slide tackle in the 69th minute.
–Field Level Media
