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Orlando City Looks to Bounce Back in Houston [Preview]

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ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) – Orlando City SC (6-2-0, 18 points) will finish its two-game road trip and play its third game in eight days on Saturday, May 6, against the Houston Dynamo (4-3-1, 13 points). Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m. ET at BBVA Compass Stadium.

“We don’t want to go through these two matches and go home with nothing because I think we’ve done a lot of really good work in the Toronto game already and we need to have a response,” Head Coach Jason Kreis said. “I think it’s the best teams in the league that always respond well to adversity and always respond well when they lose, and so that challenge is now in front of us again.”

City heads to Houston following a hard-fought loss in Toronto. The Reds started the match with two quick goals, but captain Kaká responded in the waning moments of the first half with a thunderous strike into the roof of the net. In the second half, the Lions picked up where they left off and in the 56th minute, Cyle Larin nearly bagged his seventh goal of the year but Alex Bono’s incredible recovery denied the equalizer. The loss snapped City’s four-game winning streak.

Kaká made his first appearance in the starting XI since Opening Day. Larin continues to lead the team with six goals, while the Canadian international also picked up his first assist of the season against Toronto. Striker Carlos Rivas leads the team with four assists and goalkeeper Joe Bendik has 25 saves through eight matches.

Saturday’s encounter will feature the return of former Dynamo players Giles Barnes and Servando Carrasco to Houston. Barnes made 121 Major League Soccer (MLS) appearances for Houston from 2012 to 2016, scoring 31 goals and adding 14 assists, and was a member of the MLS Cup finalist squad in 2012 and of the 2013 Eastern Conference finalist team. Carrasco, who registered his 50th MLS appearance with the Lions on Wednesday, played 30 league matches between the 2013 and 2014 campaigns for the Dynamo.

The game will also mark the Club’s second match at BBVA Compass Stadium. The Lions last visited BBVA Compass Stadium on March 13, 2015, and captured their first MLS win in their first-ever MLS road match. City’s defense shutout Houston’s attack all evening long, and it was Pedro Ribeiro’s relentless pressure in the 74th that granted Orlando the game-winning goal. Ribeiro deflected Deric’s attempted clearance and fought him off as they chased the ball and crashed into the net.

The Lions then welcomed Houston to town on July 8, 2016, at Camping World Stadium in the first match under interim head coach Bobby Murphy. The match was even throughout and the scoreless draw marked the Club’s second shutout against Houston.

Houston is also coming off a loss at Toronto. Jozy Altidore bagged a brace, while the Dynamo were unlucky in the final third as they fell 2-0. Houston is led by forward Erick Torres, who leads MLS with seven goals, and Honduran wingers Romell Quioto and Alberth Elis who each have three goals on the season. The Dynamo are unbeaten in five home games this season.

Orlando City returns home on May 13, to take on Sporting Kansas City. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET at Orlando City Stadium. The Lions will then travel out West to take on the San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday, May 17. Kickoff is set for 10:30 p.m. ET.

SOURCE | Orlando City

Golf

Russell Henley Wins Red Cardigan at 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational

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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.

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NFL

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

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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.

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Florida

Scottie Scheffler Wins Second Red Cardigan at 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational

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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.

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