Orlando

Orlando City Back to Winning Ways, Facundo Torres Finds First Goal of the Season

Published

3 years ago

March 20, 2022

Orlando City got a much-need 3 points after winning against LA Galaxy. Photo: Gary Vasquez/USA TODAY Sports

LOS ANGELES, Ca. (FNN SPORTS) — Orlando City rallied back after a shocking loss to FC Cincinnati last week to secure their first three points away from home. Facundo Torres found his debut goal in the city of Angels after a timely assist by Ercan Kara. This goal marks the first goal contribution for Kara as both designated DP’s have found contributions early in the season.

Selfie Time in La-La Land

After training last week, Facundo Torres claimed that his first goal celebration would be a ‘team selfie’ with the rest of his squad, a trademark celebration he first popularized as a member of Peñarol. Torres made good on his word this weekend as he pounced on a chance at goal after Ercan Kara was able to dispossess LA Galaxy’s Nick DePuy on an attacking press.

The resulting cross and effort at goal led to elation for Orlando City. Facundo Torres finally broke his duck after contributing his first assist last week. With his first goal now out of the way, Orlando City fans are starting to notice the game-deciding potential that Facundo brings to the table.

More important than the offensive break this weekend was the defensive masterclass led by Antonio Carlos. Contrary to prior games, Orlando City was not the protagonist in the final 30 minutes of play. Despite having to hold out at the back, Orlando City kept their form. More importantly, they obtained a clean sheet for Pedro Gallese to crown himself the GK with the most clean sheets in club history.

A Worrying Trend?

Despite their monumental win on the west coast — Orlando’s first away win against a Western Conference rival since 2016, there were instances of play in Los Angeles that begin to worry the average Orlando City fan. For one, it’s obvious to see that officiating in the MLS has not been in Orlando’s favor, especially when it comes to fouls against our most prized players.

Facundo Torres and Cesar Araujo are amongst the most fouled players in all of MLS. Cesar Araujo is also starting to don a reputation as a player frequented for yellow cards. With just four games played so far, he has amassed three YC in all appearances and has suffered 15 fouls against him, the most of any Orlando City player so far this season. Pedro Gallese also suffered a worrying hit this weekend that called into question just how much officials are taking care of players in a proactive fashion to avoid hard fouls occurring in the first place.

Through the setbacks, Orlando City is finding ways to flourish and a real team atmosphere is building around them. In their next game, they face a resilient Portland Timbers side who will also look to be the aggressor early. Portland Timbers will surely be licking their wounds after suffering a 4-1 away loss at the hands of FC Dallas. They host a surging Orlando City on March 27 at Providence Park.

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Nicolas Vera is a sports reporter for Florida National News. | sports@floridanationalnews.com

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Golf

Russell Henley Wins Red Cardigan at 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational

Published

2 months ago

March 9, 2025

Mike Brodsky

Russell Henley wins the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN Sports) – Russell Henley wins his first red cardigan at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, today, along with $4 million of the $20 million prize pool. The red cardigan was first awarded in 2017, in memory of Arnold Palmer who passed the year before. This is Henley’s fifth win on the PGA Tour.

Russell Henley is greeted by his family on the 18th green after winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

Henley finished at 11 under par for the four day tournament, carding a 70 today. Collin Morikawa finished in second place at 10 under par. API defending champion, Scottie Scheffler, finished today at 4 under par, tied for 11th place.

Scottie Scheffler tees off at the Arnold Palmer Invitational (Photo Credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

This coming week, the top golfers head to TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, for The Players Championship. The winner will walk away with $4.5 million of the $25 million up for grabs. This is the PGA Tour’s largest regular season purse. Stay tuned to www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.

NFL

UCF Hall of Fame Inductee Shaquem Griffin Launches Search For Greatness Combine With Joey Grant and GMTM

Published

6 months ago

October 30, 2024

Mike Brodsky

UCF Hall of Fame Inductee Shaquem Griffin Launches Search For Greatness Combine With Joey Grant and GMTM

Former UCF football players Shaquem Griffin and Joey Grant have partnered with GMTM to launch their Search for Greatness Combine at UCF on Saturday, November 9th. They’re giving local athletes a chance to showcase their talents and explore new sports opportunities. Griffin will be inducted into the UCF Hall of Fame on Saturday, November 2nd, during halftime of the Arizona vs. UCF football game. He is remembered for his tenacity, setting an NFL Combine record with the fastest 40-yard dash by a linebacker, and playing four seasons in the NFL, overcoming the challenge of only having one hand. He is now training to make the USA Paralympic Track and Field Team and hopes to compete in the 2028 Olympics. Joey Grant, the co-founder and CEO of GMTM, is a former UCF team captain, playing mostly Center for the Knights from 2011-2015.

Participation at the upcoming combine is free and invite-only, targeting athletes over the age of 18. To be considered, athletes must submit a highlight video via GMTM’s platform, showcasing their athleticism. GMTM will evaluate submissions and invite the most promising athletes to participate in the combine. The goal for this year’s event is to get 1,000 athletes to submit videos and be part of the combine process. Athletes chosen will receive personalized invites with further instructions, including event time slots and details. The athletes will be evaluated for their key athletic traits, to identify opportunities for them across multiple Olympic sports or professional sports programs. To learn more, or to apply for the combine, visit: https://gmtm.com/articles/the-search-for-greatness-at-ucf-with-shaquem-griffin-what-you-need-to-know.

Florida National News spoke with Shaquem and Joey about the combine, college football in the era of NIL and the transfer portal, and Griffin’s hall of fame induction. You can watch the full interview here:

Shaquem Griffin and Joey Grant interview

Stay tuned to www.FloridaNationalNews.com and www.FloridaSportsChannel.com for more.

Florida

Scottie Scheffler Wins Second Red Cardigan at 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational

Published

1 year ago

March 10, 2024

Mike Brodsky

Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News

ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN Sports) – Scottie Scheffler wins his second red cardigan at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, today, along with $4 million of the $20 million prize pool. The red cardigan was first awarded in 2017, in memory of Arnold Palmer who passed the year before. Scheffler first won the API in 2022.

Scottie Scheffler wins the Arnold Palmer Invitational. (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

The number one ranked golfer in the world, Scheffler finished at 15 under par for the four day tournament, carding a 66 today. Wyndham Clark finished in second place at 10 under par. API defending champion, Kurt Kitayama, did not make the cut, this weekend, finishing 7 over par after the first two rounds on Thursday and Friday.

This coming week, the top golfers head to TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, for the 50th anniversary of The Players Championship. The winner will walk away with $4.5 million of the $25 million up for grabs. This is the PGA Tour’s largest regular season purse. Stay tuned to www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.