Cyle Larin scores twice, Orlando City tops Impact 2-1 to end skid

ORLANDO, Fla. – Canadian Cyle Larin scored twice and Ricardo Kaka had two assists to help Orlando City beat the Montreal Impact 2-1 on Saturday night to snap a six-game winless streak.

Larin, from Brampton, Ont., poked a left-footer into lower-left corner to put Orlando City (3-3-5) ahead for the first time in 87th minute. Kaka, slashing into the box, dropped a chest-pass near the penalty spot to Julio Baptista. He flipped a high pass back to Kaka for the cross to Larin, who finished from inside the 6-yard box.

“It was disappointing to lose at the end,” said Montreal head coach Mauro Biello. “We need to do a better job in managing the game – when to calm things down, and when to accelerate. It was an almost perfect first half, but the tying goal was disappointing.”

Ignacio Piatti took a feed from Lucas Ontivero, cut back toward the centre of the box and buried a right footer into the lower-left corner to give Montreal a 1-0 lead in the opening minutes.

“We lost, but the entire team played well tonight,” said Piatti. “We have to work, but if the team plays like this in the next games, we’re going to win many. We’re going back home for a tough game, but the entire team wants to win.”

Larin flicked a header, off the cross from Kaka on a free kick, into the net to make it 1-1 in the 43rd.

Montreal (4-4-4) is winless in its last six matches. The Impact dropped in the Eastern Conference standings but remain only two points from the top of the standings. Orlando City is sixth, two points behind Montreal.