Real Salt Lake, Orlando City open season with scoreless draw

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:16 am

Orlando City and visiting Real Salt Lake shared the spoils Saturday as the sides battled to a scoreless draw in the 2020 curtain-raiser for both clubs.

Oscar Pareja took charge of his first game as Orlando City manager, while Freddy Juarez roamed the sidelines for RSL on a permanent basis after having his interim tag removed in the offseason.

The home-standing Lions had the better of the play early on and controlled the ball for most of the first 45 minutes. Their first chance of the half came just five minutes in as Tesho Akindele got in behind the RSL defense but slipped as he tried to control with his chest, and the chance went wanting.

New man Junior Urso produced a quality chance for the hosts in the 35th minute, latching onto a ball in the box following a cross from Chris Mueller, but the shot was deflected wide.

Aaron Herrera had RSL's best scoring chance of the opening half on the stroke of halftime, firing it on frame, but Orlando City goalkeeper Pedro Gallese got down to his left to collect.

Orlando kept coming on the attack in the second half and produced another chance as Joao Moutinho played an excellent ball over the top down the left flank for Mueller, who quickly turned it across the face of goal, but RSL goalkeeper Zac MacMath was quick off his line to snare it.

Chances were few and far between for RSL in the second half, but the game was there to be had, and Juarez sent new signing Giuseppe Rossi on in the 79th minute hoping for some instant offense.

As the clock reached four minutes of added time, both clubs continued to send numbers forward looking for a late winner, but neither side could find a breakthrough as the clubs and the 25,000-plus in attendance had to settle for a draw.