By Alex Thierry
León controlled much of the match and earned a well-deserved 2-1 road victory over Orlando City SC at Inter&Co Stadium.
Jordi Cortizo was at the heart of León’s attack, consistently creating opportunities as Daniel Arcila searched for another Leagues Cup goal. However, an outstanding Maxime Crépeau repeatedly denied the visitors, making five saves in the first half to keep Orlando in the match.
For Orlando City, Antoine Griezmann dropped deeper into midfield to help orchestrate the attack and combine with Tyrese Spicer and Marco Pašalić. That connection produced the opening goal, with Griezmann helping initiate the move before Spicer found Pašalić, whose long-range strike gave Orlando the lead.
León picked up where it left off after halftime, immediately creating more danger. Arcila nearly found the equalizer with a spectacular backheel, only for Crépeau to come up with another impressive save. Cortizo continued to cause problems for Orlando’s defense and eventually provided the service for Juan Guevara, who finally beat Crépeau to level the match.
After Pašalić was substituted, Griezmann moved into a more advanced role, leaving him less involved in Orlando’s buildup as the match progressed. León continued to push forward, and Arcila finally got his reward in the 72nd minute, finishing with a powerful strike that left Crépeau with no chance and completed the visitors’ comeback.
Daryl Dike entered as Orlando pushed for an equalizer late in the match, with even Crépeau joining the attack and sending balls into the box during the final moments. The late pressure was not enough, however, as León held firm to secure another three points and put itself in a strong position heading into its final Phase One match.