Orlando City has one of the loudest, most passionate fan bases in the league. The team plays consistently in front of 30,000-plus fans every game and build a wall of sound coming from the south end and the supporter’s section.
The team itself is good with Cyle Larin threatening near goal, the young Tyler Turner and Seb Hines playing strong in central defense and Kaka in the middle. Orlando City has its eyes focused squarely on the playoffs.
Teams know when they come to Camping World Stadium they not only have to deal with their opponent across the pitch but also the elements — the sound and the heat together create a dangerous mix to add to the opponent.
It is always a challenge coming to Orlando.
While the Lions though have not lost at home in eight home games, they only have two wins. Those are opportunities left on the board for the team. And that is a big reason Orlando City is below the Playoff red line right now — sitting on 17 points and two points behind New England.
“It’s really frustrating,” ORLANDO CITY COACH ADRIAN HEATH TOLD ALICIA DELGALLO OF THE ORLANDO SENTINEL. “We need to turn some of these draws into victories. We need to get some more points on the board. We’ve had too many draws.”
The goal in any soccer season is to win the home games and make up the points on the road or get draws on the road. That is usually a recipe for success. Struggling to get home wins, especially early in the season, will put pressure on Orlando City to win later in the season.
The home draws are a big reason Orlando City is outside the Playoff picture at the moment.
The way the Lions have tied at home has been especially crippling. Orlando City played with a man advantage for nearly an hour in a 1-1 draw against the Chicago Fire, the team gave up a stoppage-time penalty kick in a 2-2 draw with the New England Revolution and another stoppage time goal Saturday in a 2-2 draw with San Jose Earthquakes.
These were all opportunities for wins that Orlando City dropped in the final moments. The team has had its share of comebacks — the opener against Real Salt Lake was still an incredible draw, one of the few that felt like a win.
There are still plenty of opportunities to score wins. The home schedule is really just getting underway. The long slog through the MLS season is still getting underway. As the team learned last year, a lot can happen through the course of the season. There will be ups and downs in the league.
For Orlando City to make the push to the playoffs, the team will have to correct its home schedule. Counting on road victories will make things very difficult for the team moving forward.
The home field advantage has to become more than just an imposing wall of sound.
Dwight Howard scuttlebutt starts again
NBA free agency begins in a little more than a week and so the rumors will begin flying once again.
Ric Bucher of Bleacher/Report, who started the latest Dwight Howard rumor mill by suggesting Howard was sending feelers out to judge the Magic’s interest, predicts in his bold predictions that the Magic would acquire Howard in free agency this offseason.
As Bucher specifically notes, this is just some speculation and bold predicting on his part. But he cites some source claiming the Magic are warming up to the idea, although a deal or a decision is far from done.
Bucher notes the Magic are not likely to bring in a big-name free agent and Howard could be the kind of impact player to make them relevant again.
The rumor mill will continue to churn as the league moves to its offseason and the Magic have major needs to fill.
Orlando Predators will host playoff game
The Orlando Predators’ fast start has already allowed them to accomplish a primary goal.
The Predators were the first team in Arena Football to win 10 games this season and have clinched a top-four seed and at least one home playoff game, Arena Football League announced. With the Philadelphia Soul losing last week, the Predators now hold the top overall seed in the eight-team league.
The top teams in each conference will win the top two seeds in the playoffs at the end of the season. The Predators are well in line to have home field advantage throughout the Playoffs. They are now at least guaranteed one home game.
