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It turns out midfielder Sacha Kljestan’s analysis of how the return of striker Dom Dwyer would impact Orlando City’s attack was spot-on.
Kljestan noted other players would have space to create with defenses tightly marking Dwyer. He added defenders have to be thinking about Dwyer at all times.
In Saturday’s match against the Red Bulls, that mentality is what gave Orlando City its first goal of the match.
Orlando City’s first goal tied the match at one apiece in the 15th minute, and it showed how even when Dwyer isn’t putting the ball in the back of the net, he’s still contributing.
Kljestan’s through ball to Meram on the left side of the penalty area caused New York defenders Aurélien Collin and Connor Lade to focus on the winger near the end line, with Collin putting pressure on Meram. Dwyer then made a run to the top of the penalty area, drawing the attention of Lade.
Collin and Lade didn’t notice midfielder Will Johnson running into the 6-yard box until the ball was already in the back of the net.
The whole sequence was a far cry from the lack of quality in the final third that marred Orlando City’s first three matches. The Lions went on to win the match 4-3, thanks, in part, to some more heroics from Dwyer.
Orlando City scored just two goals, one from the penalty spot, through its first three matches.
“It starts with having the right guys on the field,” Johnson said. “Guys who are comfortable in the final third. When you have Sacha, Justin and Dom all on the field, defenses have to worry about those guys and so it leaves pockets open for the No. 8s – in the last game it was Yoshi and me – to make runs into the box and overwhelm the oppositions with numbers, so you’re left with a tap-in.
“Sacha plays a great ball to Justin. Justin holds it long enough, freezes the defense. Dom makes a run the other way and the defender has to go with him. I can coast in unguarded because most of the time, teams aren’t going to worry about me on the scoresheet. If we keep pushing those numbers in the final third, good things will happen.”
Meram praised Dwyer’s willingness to run to the top of the penalty area without the ball and free up Johnson.
“I think we need guys running off the ball,” Meram said.
“When you have Sacha in there, whose awareness and calmness on the ball and understanding time and space… for me, it was easy. He was facing forward with time and I knew I needed to run in behind. Once you do that, you see the goal’s not only [from] my pass to Will, but the movement of Dom to draw from the line and causing their back line to make a decision.
“It’s a play that doesn’t go on the scoresheet, but without Dom making that run, I don’t think Will’s open.”
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Player updates
Center back and team captain Jonathan Spector (concussion) was a full participant in Tuesday’s training session. He missed the last match after suffering a concussion against NYCFC.
Striker Stéfano Pinho (ankle) was a full participant after training on his own for a few weeks after suffering an ankle sprain against Minnesota United. He’s missed the last two matches.
Center back Amro Tarek left Saturday’s match against the Red Bulls in the 73rd minute. Coach Jason Kreis said he might have a “small strain,” but Tarek was a full participant in Tuesday’s training session.