SANFORD, Fla. — As his team shakes off Tuesday’s loss in the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup, coach James O’Connor is refocusing his team fully on the pursuit of its first playoff berth.
Orlando City played two high-stakes games in a span of four days this week, putting out a starters-heavy lineup for both games as it looked to both edge up in MLS standings and advance in the U.S. Open Cup. This weekend’s game offers the same stakes — an opportunity to take on the team positioned one slot and three points directly above the Lions in the standings. As the team heads to Toronto, it will look to rely on its rotation.
“The impact we’ve had off the bench this year is something that people underestimate,” O’Connor said. “We’ve done a great job making sure this group is together and the goals are not just coming from one person. There’s a great togetherness throughout the team.”
As Orlando City faces another period of playing three games in eight days, the roster will rely on its depth entering the next week of play. It’s common for rookies who played college soccer to hit a wall in mid-August due to the extended length of the MLS season. But for rookie Benji Michel, that hasn’t been a problem.
As he continues to see more playing time, working into the starting lineup during periods of heavy scheduling, Michel feels that he is well prepared to enter the rotation for the Lions.
“Once you train your body to be a beast, your body’s gonna be a beast,” Michel said. “I know they talk a lot about the college season, about how after a certain amount of months you break, but I make sure I’m always ready for the team and whenever my name is called, I’m ready.”
Pereyra continues gradual integration
It’s been a little over a week since Mauricio Pereyra’s first training session with Orlando City, and the designated player is still finding his rhythm with his new team.
Pereyra will not be available for Orlando City during Saturday’s match against Toronto, and the team is still putting together a firm timetable for his first game in a purple kit. Due to the differences in scheduling between MLS and his previous team in the Russian Premier League, Pereyra hasn’t played a game in several months. His return to full-speed is a process that O’Connor is trying not to rush.
Pereyra entered the team at a time when Orlando City has struggled to finish on the offensive end. Although the attacking midfielder more naturally slots into a supporting role — he recorded 27 assists and 23 goals while playing in the Russian Premier League — his addition will bring an injection of energy for the team’s attack in the final third of the season.
However, as O’Connor continues to work the midfielder into the rotation, he is hoping to instill the team’s motto of “next man up” into Pereyra to avoid putting undue expectations on the team’s newest addition.
“The kid hasn’t even played a minute yet,” O’Connor said. “We don’t want to put any extra pressure on him. It’s not just down to one individual.”
Injury update
Defender João Moutinho exited Tuesday’s U.S. Open Cup match against Atlanta in the 78th minute after experiencing pain in his hamstring and he might be looking at another recovery process.
Moutinho has been hit hard by injuries summer, starting with a hamstring injury he suffered in June. The defender sat out seven consecutive games and then played a full 90 minutes in his first game back against the New York Red Bulls. But Moutinho took a hard collision during that game, which forced him to exit after the first half of the team’s next match on the road against New England.
Although Moutinho still needed to undergo ultrasound and MRI scans on Thursday before the team could estimate a return date, the defender is currently listed as questionable for Saturday’s game in Toronto.
Meanwhile, midfielder Cristian Higuita continues to follow his recovery process on a day-to-day basis. Higuita has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since June, and he hasn’t played a game since the Lions’ 3-0 win over Montreal. He returned to training on the field with the team last week, but his progress is gradual as he works to move back into the playing rotation.