The Orlando City Soccer Club is a team to be reckoned with. If you don’t believe me just ask the LA Galaxy who got absolutely mauled by the Lions of the Florida Peninsula this past weekend.
OCSC is a team that has what many claim is lacking in MLS, a definitive playing style. They are relentlessly forward thinking, sprinting to the ball at all times like they are playing full-court press for 90 minutes, and breaking out at every chance. Whether they are looking to play to the corners for a cross or trying to thread a through pass, it is all offense, all the time, sometimes to a fault. People claim Kaka isn’t producing enough for his salary (7+Million/year). But it is his presence alone thatt’s allowing his surrounding teammates to get the room and space needed as a result of the opposition’s respect paid, and defensive pressure applied to, the former Balon d’Or winner.
Kaka’s defensive work-rate has been questioned, but he more than make up for it with his offensive prowess. His experience playing at the highest levels is evident whenever the ball is at his feet. He goes through the motions like he’s done them hundreds of times before, which he has. He leads his team in the same way that Thierry Henry led the New York Red Bulls. His level of class and professionalism is right with with Henry’s and will continue to pay dividends this season.
Brek Shea has been without a doubt one of the feel-good breakout players of this season. People seem surprised, seemingly forgetting he was a former MLS MVP runner-up before he flew across the pond to test the European waters. Defender Rafael Ramos has been another shining star, who has overcome some absolutely foolish mistakes earlier in the season to provide stunning crosses and attacking runs that allow for OCSC to overload the box. Such a play was seen this past weekend when Kaka set off Ramos with a beautiful lead pass, allowing Ramos to cross the ball to Shea, who then deftly headed the ball to Eric Avila for a goal. Lastly, Cyle Larin has been, with perhaps Fatai Alashe of San Jose, one of the most exciting rookies to grace the field this year, already scoring 4 goals in 7 games.
All of these individual players succeeding is a strong reason OCSC will do well this year, but it is the style of OCSC that is the reason they will make the playoffs in their inaugural year. Coach Adrian Heath has drilled into this team a sense of unbridled attacking that puts pressure on the opposition right out of the gate. Multiple goals and potential scoring chances have been created by pass intercepts from the backline, which sets off an immediate counterattack. Orlando possesses multiple players that can flat out fly, and it would not surprise me if Orlando has the fastest squad in the MLS. It was a tragedy OCSC’s MVP of last year, Kevin Molino, went down for the season. However players have stepped up en masse to make up for his absence.
Through the first six games, Orlando was potential personified. They would dominate the attacking end only to suffer in not being able to finish. Prior to the LA game, Orlando had only scored seven goals in eight games, being blanked on four different occasions. With the four goals Orlando scored against the Galaxy, it showed Orlando deserves to be here. Orlando took 11 shots last week, and seven of those were on frame.
Orlando has a plan and so far they have stuck to it. The biggest thing going for them is they are a TEAM first, with players second. This mantra started before the first game, with an impassioned speech by Kaka .
Coach Heath has laid out a mandate to work as one and the team has bought in. It is no surprise Orlando City dominated the last three years in the USL before coming to MLS. Orlando has not been perfect; they only have 3 wins, 3 draws yet 5 losses, but their goal differential is only -1. They are losing tight games and it is simply by not converting chances. That will come. They have an amazing fan base thus far, averaging 45,000 in attendance (why do they want to build a new stadium with smaller capacity?) and they are playing attractive. The team is continuing to gel, and with a young core of Darwin Ceren (25), Cristian Higuita (21), Cyle Larin (20), Kevin Molino (24), Rafael Ramos (20) and Brek Shea (25), the future is bright for the Lions of Orlando City.
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