Sutter’s return to Orlando ‘special’
Fans salute former Lions player before game vs. Whitecaps
Vancouver Whitecaps right back Scott Sutter was one of the few visiting players to get a round of applause from Orlando City supporters Saturday afternoon in Orlando City Stadium.
Sutter began his MLS career with Orlando City and spent two years with the Lions before his option was declined following a rough 2018 season. He signed with the Whitecaps during the offseason.
Orlando City defeated the Whitecaps 1-0 in a match during which Sutter played a full 90 minutes. Former Orlando City left back Victor “PC” Giro also got a small round of applause before Saturday’s game. PC played one minute as a substitute during Saturday’s match.
“It was nice,” Sutter said of his return to Orlando. “It was definitely special coming back. I had two years. Two years spent here. Great memories on and off the field. Many good people and the fans were always great to me. They were great to me again today. It was nice to be back here, but yeah, obviously we just would have hoped for more than a loss.”
Sutter played in 51 league matches (48 starts) for Orlando City. PC made 21 regular-season appearances for Orlando City. The two defenders are the fourth and fifth 2018 Orlando City players the Lions have faced during the 2019 regular season. They faced former midfielder Tony Rocha, who is now with NYCFC, in the season opener. Former centerback Amro Tarek played a full 90 minutes for the New York Red Bulls. Former left Donny Toia started for Real Salt Lake last week.
Sutter was part of a five-man back line the Whitecaps used to contain Orlando City’s attack after traveling across the country on short rest. Sutter had a goalline clearance in Saturday’s match, turning away a header from Orlando City forward Chris Mueller before Lions midfielder Will Johnson could get to it.
“It wasn’t easy,” Sutter said. “They’ve got quality. I know the quality better than most guys. It wasn’t easy, but I think we did a good job collectively as a team, just like we did on Wednesday against LAFC.”
Vancouver defeated LAFC 1-0 on Wednesday and was looking to build off its first win of the season.
“It was, overall, a solid performance by the guys,” Sutter said. “Obviously, we’re all disappointed that we didn’t come away with a draw, which I think we deserved. It was tough, especially the second half, going into the last 20 minutes. You could see that we were slowly getting tired. It’s been a long week, many miles traveled. So we kind of felt that in the end, but I think, yeah, overall disappointed we didn’t get a draw.”
OCB falls
Orlando City B is still searching for its first win as a USL League One side.
OCB (0-3-1, 1 point) fell 2-1 to Forward Madison FC on Friday at home, ending a four-game homestand to open the season with no wins.
OCB scored in the 35th minute thanks to midfielder Koby Osei-Wusu and went into the break up 1-0. Forward Madison FC scored two goals in the second half, with midfielder Josiel Nunez scoring in the 58th minute to level the match and defender Shaun Russell scoring the match winner in the 70th minute.
“We played two different halves,” OCB coach Fernando Jose De Argila Irurita told reporters after the game. “The first half we followed our identity and we controlled the game. In the second half, we lost our identity and we lost control of the game. We tried to attack too fast and we got disorganized with the ball. And the other team was more experienced than us and they knew how to play this kind of game.”