Orlando City’s win over Colorado comes at the cost of losing Brek Shea

Kaka+scored+his+eighth+goal+of+the+season%2C+putting+him+in+third+on+the+league+scoring+list.

Bryce Brimhall / Valencia Voice

Kaka scored his eighth goal of the season, putting him in third on the league scoring list.

ORLANDO — Orlando City may have come away with a win against the Colorado Rapids after playing to a 2-0 victory on Wednesday at the Citrus Bowl but what the Lions may have lost in the process could become a much larger blow.

Brek Shea was substituted out of the game in the 39th minute after he looked sluggish on the field and went down to the ground in apparent pain multiple times throughout the first 39 minutes.

Shea, who was called up by the USMNT last week to play Holland and Germany, returned from international duty with a groin injury that was first diagnosed by the U.S. Soccer medical staff but now it appears that injury could have gotten worse and the midfielder may need to miss some games in July.

“I’ve been dealing with it ever since camp it’s just a nagging injury,” said Shea of the groin injury. “I’ve been traveling to games, I’ve been trying to get through it and then tonight I had enough I guess.”

The 25-year-old midfielder said following the game that he planned on taking it easy for a while to heal up his groin and make sure it doesn’t become a recurring injury.

Shea did say he thinks he’ll have to shut it down for a few games but hopes he caught it early enough where it doesn’t last. He’ll see a specialist on Monday and the club will make their decision from there on how long to shut him down.

The Lions started slow in the first half having only managed one shot on target despite holding 61.3 percent of the possession during the opening 45 minutes.

Orlando City opened up the scoring in the 62nd minute when Cyle Larin finished a Carlos Rivas pass for his sixth goal of his rookie season, giving Orlando City a 1-0 lead.

Carlos Rivas came in for the injured Shea in the first half and had arguably his best game in an Orlando City uniform as he notched his first-ever MLS assist on Larin’s goal.

“It’s a start for him, the kid has enormous qualities,” said head coach Adrian Heath about the 21-year-old. “I was really pleased from him because he did some of the stuff that we know he can do, I just hope this is just a start for him, he can keep injury free.

“Everything is moving in the right direction.”

Kaka extended Orlando City’s lead to 2-0 three minutes later when he dribbled around a defender and shot the ball passed the diving goalkeeper for his eighth MLS goal of the season.

The shutout gave goalkeeper Tally Hall his third clean sheet since returning from injury.

With the win Orlando City’s record improves to 6-6-5, 20 points and keeps them in third place in the Eastern Conference at the midway point of the season. With a playoff berth as the No. 1 priority the Lions are currently in a good spot in the standing halfway through their inaugural MLS season.

“Now we just finished the first part of the league and we are in position to go to the playoffs,” said Kaka about the club’s first half of the season. “Now starts the second part, we have to be better to arrive at our first target (playoffs).”

The Lions next game will be on Tuesday, June 30 against the Columbus Crew in U.S. Open Cup play. Orlando is 0-1-1 against Columbus during the regular season, a win against the Crew and Orlando City would be playing in the quarterfinals of the cup for the second time in three years.

Kickoff for Tuesday’s U.S. Open Cup matchup is set for 7:30 p.m. at the Citrus Bowl.