Saturday night’s disastrous 4-2 defeat against the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium was a roller-coaster game that demanded everything, teased an incredible comeback, and eventually ended with a catastrophic mental meltdown for Orlando City in stoppage time.
Orlando entered the clash at Foxborough, enjoying a run of five matches without a loss. But with 88 minutes played, a hard-fought point on the road seemed secure after Martín Ojeda scored a penalty to level the score at 2-2. However, with the fourth official indicating 10 minutes of stoppage time ahead, the team undid all that good work.
Interim Coach Martin Perelman, knowing that the squad had played a midweek fixture and was likely exhausted, lined up the Lions in a low block. It was supposed to help Orlando absorb pressure and hit on the counter in theory, but in practice it just invited New England to spend the whole game anchored in Orlando’s box.
The Revolution are notorious for their incredible high press, which absolutely stifles the opponent’s transition players. Orlando City could not even string two passes together in transition, turning the ball over in dangerous areas of the field. At the half-time whistle, Orlando were trailing on possession and shots 62.2%-38.8% and 9-3, respectively, and the deflection of Carles Gil’s shot, which found the top corner of Maxime Crépeau’s net in the 19th minute, was almost a mercy. The tactical plan was too passive, and it caused unnecessary stress on the Lions’ backline.
However, it should be noted that Martin Perelman’s tactical tweaks in the second half completely changed the course of the game. Substituting Eduard Atuesta and Zakaria Taifi for the second half helped the Lions to control proceedings. And, although another defensive mistake gave Peyton Miller the chance to increase the deficit to 2-0, Orlando City showed incredible character.
The move that led to the 62nd-minute goal of Iván Angulo was breathtaking—it involved the combination play with Atuesta, Ojeda, and Justin Ellis, which absolutely tore apart the Revolution’s defense. When Martin Ojeda calmly stepped up to score the equalizer with a penalty kick in the 88th minute, it was clear that momentum had totally shifted in favor of Orlando. The tactical changes proved effective, and the players managed to come back from a difficult position.
Nevertheless, this moment is where the “blame” shifts from the coach to the players on the pitch. Orlando City’s late-game meltdown during stoppage time was an unacceptable example of game management. It was a flashback to the pre-World Cup version of the team, which was leaking goals in transition due to the horrible defending.
With 93 minutes played, the only thing Joran Gerbet had to do was commit a professional foul in midfield to break up the New England counterattack. Instead, the Frenchman was hesitant, giving a chance for a diagonal pass, which sliced the defense of the Lions in half. Robin Jansson had to commit a lunging toe-poke that missed the target, giving Miller an unchallenged opportunity to score his second goal of the night.
When chasing the result after going down 3-2 in the final part of the game, the team lost its defensive awareness. Trying to chase the ball is fine, but leaving Carles Gil unmarked in the middle of the park behind Atuesta in the 96th minute was nothing else but suicidal. Gil calmly increased the lead of the Revolution to 4-2, punishing a defense that had forgotten how to lock down a chaotic situation.
Currently sitting at 10-12-4 with 34 points, the Lions are struggling to be near the playoff bubble, with eight games left to play in the campaign. Now the margin for error is minimal. If this squad wants to compete in the MLS Cup Playoffs, a few things have to happen fast.
First of all, they need their superstar, Antoine Griezmann, to return from his thigh injury as soon as possible. We’ve seen how indecisive and sloppy Orlando have been in the final third of the pitch in the first half of the clash against New England; Griezmann brings the clinical edge, the composure, and the gravity that will open up the space for Angulo and Ellis to exploit and create magic.
Second of all, the defending in transition has to be improved. Turning the ball over in the middle third of the pitch and relying on the center-backs’ ability to save the game isn’t an option anymore. The Lions have to be somewhat less glamorous and slightly more pragmatic to close out matches. If they hold the result on the road and enter the last ten minutes of the game, the only thing that should matter is their shape and discipline, not risky passes in the vertical direction.
However, a blueprint for victory exists. We’ve seen it in the second half of the clash with New England, which lasted for 30 minutes and where Orlando successfully used the half-spaces and moved the ball with determination. Now the Lions have a regular match week to prepare for their clash with the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park on September 26.
Until then, Vamos Orlando!
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