For hosts Orlando City SC and visitors D.C. United, there was little drama but plenty of action on Decision Day.
On the final day of the 2016 MLS regular season, the host Lions, eliminated from playoff contention weeks ago, had nothing substantive to play for other than closing out their time at Camping World Stadium (formerly known as the Citrus Bowl) with a crowd-pleasing display in a 4-2 win.
Head coach Ben Olsen opted to rest his starters (10 changes from last week's starting lineup) and still secured a midweek playoff match at RFK Stadium thanks to results in other matches. Collin Martin started an MLS match for the first time in almost two years, Julian Büscher recorded two assists in a match for the first time in his career and Álvaro Saborío moved ahead of Juan Pablo Angel with his 73 career MLS goal for 19th all-time.
After Alhaji Kamara was forced off because of injury, substitute Saborio scored in the 43rd minute to cut Orlando's lead in half before halftime.
An apparent Lamar Neagle goal in the final seconds of first-half stoppage time was waved off for a questionable offside call, and Orlando City regained their two-goal lead shortly after half-time when Cristian Higuita took a pass from Kaká and scored his first goal of the season in the 50th minute.
Higuita turned provider in the final minute on a Julio Baptista goal to respond to a cracking left-footed strike by D.C.'s Kennedy Igboananike (his first for the Black-and-Red) as the two teams exchanged late goals for the 4-2 final.
United now host the Montreal Impact on Thursday, Oct. 27 at 7:30 in the Knockout Round.
