4:3 Orlando New York Johnson Dwyer 2 Colman Valot Etienne Long 03.31.18 · League

When Metro dealt Sacha Kljestan to Orlando, Jesse Marsch made it clear that he doesn't want a repetition of the Dax McCarty situation: useful players had to come back. So in came Carlos Rivas and Tommy Redding. Today, with a makeshift lineup, both got a chance to play at their former stadium in what ended up a 4:3 loss.

With the CONCACAF semifinal coming up, many usual starters were rested. Aaron Long and Tim Parker sat for Aurelien Collin (also making his Orlando return) and Redding (making his first team debut). Sean Davis, Alex Muyl, Daniel Royer, and Bradley Wright-Phillips made way for Florian Valot, Alejandro Romero Gamarra, Derrick Etienne, and Carlos Rivas.

Seven minutes in, Marc Rzatkowski won the ball and swung it to Romero Gamarra on the left. The Argentine's perfect cross found the head of Valot for the Frenchman's first career goal. At the quarter hour, Redding lost his man, and an unmarked Will Johnson scored from close range.

In the 24th minute, Valot forced a turnover at midfield, started running upfield and found Etienne. The Haitian American slotted the ball through Joe Bendik's legs to finally get on board in an MLS game.

Two minutes later, controversy struck on an Orlando corner kick. Dom Dwyer clearly fouled Luis Robles, grabbing the goalkeeper's jersey and pushing him into the net... with the ball. Somehow, the goal stood, with VAR not even used.

Three minutes into the second half, off a Orlando throw-in, Redding fell asleep, Dwyer got behind the defense, and slotted the ball home to give his team the lead.

With 12 minutes left in the game, and Marsch already having made all his substitutions, Kyle Duncan pulled up injured, reducing the team to ten. (Somewhere, "Clever" Hans Backe thinks: this would have never happened under my watch!) Nevertheless, Metro equalized in the 82nd, with one of those subs, Long, heading in a Rzatkowski free kick.

Sadly, four minutes later, an Orlando shot from the edge of the box deflected off an attacker and ended up in the Metro net. Kljestan came out on the winning end... As for Rivas, and especially Redding: hold that definition of "useful".

Lineup: Robles, Lade, Collin, Redding, Duncan, Rzatkowski, Bezecourt, Valot, Romero Gamarra, Etienne, Rivas. Subs: Lawrence, Long, Wright-Phillips.