LA Galaxy at Orlando City match recap

Game after game of roster absences, lineup and formation changes and a heavy road schedule caught up with the Galaxy as Orlando City steamrolled LA before a raucous crowd of 40,122 at the Citrus Bowl.

Playing cross-country on artificial turf, it was perhaps understandable for Bruce to rotate the lineup once again, with Omar Gonzalez earning a rest as LA trotted out its familiar 4-4-2 formation. Baggio Husidic was moved to left back, Leonardo and Tommy Meyer started in the center and AJ DeLaGarza played on the right. Juninho and Mika Vayrynen paired in the middle of the park, Gyasi Zardes and Stefan Ishizaki started on the wings and the youthful combo of Bradford Jamieson IV and Ignacio Maganto played up top.

Orlando went with their usual 4-2-3-1. Seb Hines replaced the injured Aurellin Collin and 2015 Superdraft No. 1 pick Cyle Larin headed the attack.

The game started off wide-open with both teams enjoying chances, but Orlando soon grew into the game looking conifdent in attack, and it was no surprise when they went ahead early. Kaka fed a simple ball to fullback Rafael Ramos on the right sideline, Ramos weighed a floating cross to Brek Shea at the far post, Shea headed across to a darting Eric Avila and Avila neatly finished past Penedo.

LA's best chance of the game came shortly thereafter when Baggio Husidic cushioned a header to Gyasi Zardes from close range, but the ball just missed Zardes' swinging boot.

The Galaxy looked disconnected, with their usual crisp passing game nowhere to be found and a distinct lack of ideas in attack.

Orlando scored again in the 34th minute, aided by some poor team defending. With Kaka racing into the open field, he maneuvered around a sliding Tommy Meyer challenge before squaring to Cyle Larin for the easy finish.

LA subbed in Alan Gordon for Jamieson at the half, but the change did little to affect the confident Orlando City attack.

Kaka scored the third Orlando goal in the 56th minute, drawing a penalty kick after colliding with Penedo's foot on a 1 on 1 challenge, and promptly burying penalty down the middle of the goal and celebrating by briefly donning a jersey of Kevin Molino, honoring his fallen teammate who is out for the season with a torn ACL.

With the Galaxy defense clearly on the ropes, Leonardo played a weak clearance through the middle of the field that rolled to Darwin Ceren, who blasted a shot off Penedo's fingertips and the crossbar. Penedo, who had to deal with a laser pointer in his eye at times during the contest, responded by furiously yelling at referee Jair Marrufo and earning a caution. 

Newcomer Sebastian Lletget came on in the 69th minute for his Galaxy debut, but like Gordon, was unable to make an impact.

Darwin Ceren added to the Galaxy's misery late, as a weak LA clearance bounced to the Salvadorian, and he smashed a deflected blast past the unfortunate Penedo.

Late in the game, Jose Villareal had a chance to get on the board but his shot inside the box swerved high and wide.

A fatigued Galaxy squad fly back to LA to take on the Dynamo next week.