CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Orlando City missed its first chance to lock up an MLS playoff berth Saturday, falling 4-0 to Charlotte FC at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., in an early afternoon match on Halloween.
Charlotte went ahead in the sixth minute when defender Henry Kessler, left unmarked, headed in a free kick from Ashley Westwood. Allan Saint-Maximin doubled the lead in the 49th minute, carrying the ball from midfield to the edge of the penalty area before beating Orlando goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau.
Crépeau stopped a Saint-Maximin penalty in the 84th minute, but Abdoulaye Doucouré reached the rebound first for his first MLS goal. Saint-Maximin was then sent off with a straight red card for an obscene gesture, and Rodolfo Aloko finished a cross from Tyger Smalls in stoppage time. Charlotte keeper Kristijan Kahlina turned away seven Orlando shots, earning his seventh shutout of the season.
Orlando coaches changed the lineup before kickoff. Wilder Cartagena and Marco Pašalić moved into the starting group, replacing Justin Ellis, who began on the bench, and David Brekalo, who sat out on a yellow card suspension. Eduard Atuesta returned to the bench after serving a suspension in the previous match in Chicago. Martín Ojeda wore the captain’s armband and Antoine Griezmann started up front.
The loss ended a five-match unbeaten stretch for the Lions, who fell to 12-14-7, and it also snapped a club-record run of 25 straight matches with a goal across all competitions. Charlotte, which had already clinched its own playoff place, moved to 15-10-8.
Orlando gets another shot at clinching when it hosts New England next Saturday at home in Orlando.
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