Orlando beat Miami as Nashville win; Kansas players test positive

ORLANDO: Mauricio Pereyra scored in the 69th minute to lift Orlando City past Inter Miami, 2-1 on Saturday night.

An own goal from Andres Reyes accounted for Orlando City’s score in the 34th minute. Reyes tried to clear but ended up deflecting into his net. Brek Shea scored for Inter Miami (2-7-2) on a header, getting the ball past the outstretched arm of diving Orlando goalkeeper Pedro Gallese in the 65th.

Inter Miami’s penalty-kick goal and Orlando City’s Rodrigo Schlegel red card were both reversed in the 76th minute after an offside call. Orlando City’s Nani had a free kick hit the crossbar in the 11th minute.

Dax McCarty had a goal and three assists and Nashville SC stretched its unbeaten streak to four with a 4-2 victory over Atlanta United.

Expansion Nashville (3-4-3) beat Atlanta (3-6-2) for the first time in three matches.

On the match’s first corner kick, Dominique Badji tapped in McCarty’s header in the first minute.

Jeff Larentowicz tied it on a header iin the 19th minute before Nashville scored the next three goals.

Hany Mukhtar scored his first goal with Nashville with assists from McCarty and Badji in the 29th minute. McCarty scored on header from the center of the 6-yard box in the 36th.

In the second half, Abu Danladi scored in the 57th with an assist from McCarty. George Bello scored for Atlanta in the 61st.

Meanwhile, a player for Sporting Kansas City has tested positive for COVID-19, the Major League Soccer squad announced Saturday, and started self-isolation under league safety protocols.

All other players and members of the club have returned multiple negative test results and have no symptoms, the team said in a statement.

Team medical officials will monitor the unidentified player, who will remain in isolation until medically cleared by Sporting Kansas City staff.

The team has also started contact tracing ahead of the its home match Sunday against Minnesota United. MLS testing protocols require players to be tested every other day, including the day before each match.

Sporting Kansas City and Minnesota are battling for the lead in the Western Conference, each on 17 points, one behind defending MLS champion Seattle, the West leaders. Minnesota and Kansas City are both 5-3 with two drawn with a plus-five goal differential, the Loons ahead of sporting 21-20 in total goals to own second place.

Eastern Conference leaders Columbus Crew battled back from two goals down Saturday to salvage a 2-2 draw against Chicago Fire at Soldier Field, with Gyasi Zardes capping the scoring with an 88th-minute strike.

Agencies