A BREKdown of defender Brek Shea’s performance over 7 days

By Samuel Edwards, Contributing writer|April 6, 2015

Brek Shea made a goal line clearance on Friday that helped keep the game tied 0-0 at the time.

What a stellar week of performances it has been for Orlando City and USMNT player Brek Shea.

Shea continued his comeback with Team USA on Tuesday when the team took on Switzerland in an exhibition game held in Zurich. In the 44th minute Alfredo Morales won a free kick that gave Shea the opportunity to curl in a sensational goal that sent waves of shocked, but delighted fans wondering “DID THAT JUST HAPPEN?”

It was the first USMNT goal from a shot taken from a free kick since August 2013, and Shea’s second goal in four games so far in 2015 as Team USA went on to tie 12th ranked Switzerland after an 80th minute goal from Valentin Stocker went in four yards out of the box.

Continuing his dominating week of play in the MLS on Friday, the Orlando City Lions (1-2-2) took on D.C. United (3-0-1) in what would finish as a heartbreaking defeat in stoppage time.

The defender came up big for Orlando City in the 67th minute after Conor Doyle of D.C. United broke through the Orlando defense. Doyle’s initial shot was saved by goalkeeper Donavan Ricketts, and Shea came to the rescue, recognizing that he needed to tend goal, and tend goal he did!

Pulling off what is undoubtedly to be on the ballot for MLS week 5 Save of the Week and ESPN’s No. 4 Top Play for the Friday night highlight reel, Shea performed a phenomenal acrobatic goal-line clearance preventing Chris Pontius’ follow-up shot from going into the net. Seconds after the save, Ricketts was seen thanking Shea on the fantastic block to keep the game tied at 0-0 for the moment.

Despite the performance from Shea and Orlando City’s dominance as a whole the entire game, D.C. United would eventually take all 3 points after being awarded a free kick in the 91st minute when Luis Silva curled a bending free-kick over the wall to give the visitors a 1-0 lead and the win.

“I think this one is harder to swallow than the Vancouver game…,” said Shea in the locker room following the game. “Tonight we were a better team and created so many chances…we did everything that coach (Adrian Heath) asked of us except win.”

Orlando City will now make the long journey to Providence Park for their next match against the Portland Timbers on April 12th that will be broadcasted on ESPN2 at 5 p.m. EST.