It was all there laid bare as the moments ticked closer to the final whistle. Orlando City had not shown in its first game to have that last bit of class to score, the team let its emotions get the best of it and succumb to frustration of the moment.
Amazing how one moment or two completely changes everything, doesn’t it?
Orlando City’s incredible stoppage time comeback seemed to ease the frustration of the 90 minutes before. The Lions had a goal taken off the board with a dubious offside call, a red card that was also dubious in nature, a penalty kick conceded while playing a man up and a general sense the team dominated the run of play while still trailing 2-0.
This was the story time and time again last year for Orlando City.
The Lions would dominate possession, throw everything at the net and come up empty. They would have fouls pile up and frustration would boil over until they finally received a booking. And because of Orlando City’s reputation, that ultimately ends up as a card.
It all happened Sunday. Orlando City held a 52.7 percent possession percentage in the game, dominating and controlling the pace of the game through most of it. The Lions took 12 corner kicks and had a 14-8 shots advantage over Real Salt Lake. And then there was that 45+2nd minute red card on Darwin Ceren, eliminating Orlando City’s man advantage with the team trailing 1-0 on a penalty kick conceded on a counter attack.
This was the familiar recipe for disaster during Orlando City’s expansion season. And they were all things Orlando City had to address to find success this season.
It is just one game, so it does not make a trend yet. It is somewhat frustrating to see them continue on, but Orlando City was playing without its captain Kaka, who will miss Friday’s game with a thigh strain suffered before Sunday’s opener. And the first game has its own kind of variability.
It is still unclear, in other words, what kind of team Orlando City is. Is it the team that it was last year with the frustration fouls and lack of discipline to get booked often? Is it the team that cannot break through and score?
Or is it the team of those final desperate moments. Constantly getting pressure on a defense and throwing so much at the net, earning corner kicks and getting so many opportunities.
Even before those final moments, Orlando City had an air of inevitability. The Lions were knocking on the door so much, at some point it would have to come down. The only thing that seemed capable of stopping it was Orlando City’s own frustration and giving into that emotion.
This is a young team still learning to overcome those frustrations when things do not seem to come the way they are deserved.
The Lions deserved at least a point in Sunday’s game and they found a way to scratch that out. That point is important as the MLS Playoff race is typically very close. Every point will matter in the end for the Lions.
They will have to find a way to convert those to three. Not only do they have to find a way to start winning these kind of games but they have to keep their focus and intensity even when things are not going well. That has been an issue too.
Opponents have taken advantage of Orlando City’s frustrations in the past and Real Salt Lake was no different. They went on the counter attack score the first goal. Then they broke down the defense in a moment of brilliance and Orlando City gave up the second goal.
That happens in the course of a game. Perhaps Orlando should have never given Real Salt Lake the chance to take the front foot.
That is something Orlando City has continued to have to fight. It is an area where the team has to continue to improve.
This team is trying to grow from last year’s team and last year’s mistakes. The first game showed the same resolve the team has had. It probably should not have gotten to that point of desperation. The team has to find a way to break through and win, taking the lead when the opportunity arises and putting teams away when they are the most aggressive and have the most opportunity.
That will continue to be a struggle for this young team. Something that persisted Sunday against Real Salt Lake.
The Chicago Fire were one of the worst teams in the league last year. It is another good opportunity to get things going on the right foot.
