All that is left to do now is get this thing started for real.
In a week, Orlando City will do just that at the Orlando Citrus Bowl. The game will count for real. The time for learning will be cut short and mistakes will have to be limited.
For Saturday, though, the team just needed to play within itself and its principles and give its fans a good show for the first home game of the year. The first of the preseason friendlies at home in front of the home crowd provided all the excitement the team and the fans could want.
Defender Seb Hines took advantage of several set pieces to score four goals and light up the fans for a 6-1 Orlando City win over Esports Club Bahia on Saturday.
Hines scored on three set pieces as the Lions showed the hard work in training was paying off. The team relied on Kaka’s accurate foot to find Hines and set up the goals.
Perhaps it is concerning Orlando City needed to concede a goal to get snap into focus with a largely starting lineup out there. Bahia broke down the defense well in that opening minute with a gorgeous through ball to set up their lone goal.
But coach Adrian Heath let his starting lineup largely respond to the deficit and to coming out of halftime.
“We played very well tonight. I’m happy with the result,” said City Head Coach Adrian Heath to OrlandoCitySC.com. “After the first goal conceded, we used that momentum to push ourselves to get a goal. We are right where we want to be for the season. We are working on getting back on defense and getting better at keeping our formations.”
Hines provided the first strike to put Orlando City up 2-1 early in the first half. The Lions scored on Hines’ header from 10 yards out just 12 minutes into the game following Club Bahia’s opening-minute goal.
Pedro Ribeiro and Darwin Ceren had the other goals for Orlando City to cap off a night that turned into a celebration of the expectations to come.
What this all means for Orlando City is probably nothing. Club Bahia said on its Twitter it was interested in experiencing a MLS side to grow its own program and compete in its league. This was not difficult competition.
Still Orlando City put the ball in the back of the net and executed its set plays. That is not always an easy thing to do. The Kakas and Cyle Larins will be there when needed, seeing a Seb Hines step up in this moment is encouraging that Orlando City can execute when it counts.
That time is quickly coming now. We are t-minus one week until the opener.
