Orlando City has steadily improved after the rockiest of starts to its MLS season. The Lions look to extend their unbeaten streak to five matches when they host Toronto FC on Saturday.
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From near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings after opening the campaign 1-5, a coaching change, and clawing to 6-9-2 heading into the World Cup break in June, Orlando City has climbed to sixth in the table and stands at 9-11-4 and 31 points.
Kickoff at Inter.co Stadium is 7:30 p.m. for this key meeting with Toronto (6-7-11, 29 points). It’s the first game between the clubs this season.
Coming off a hard-fought 3-2 road victory at Atlanta United on Wednesday, the Lions are looking for a third consecutive triumph.
“(We’re) recovering from one game to the other one. Focusing. This is the most beautiful moment of the season for us because it’s when things get decided,” said Orlando interim head coach Martín Perelman, who took over the team when Oscar Pareja was let go in March. “(We’re) preparing ourselves just to recover and be ready to compete again.”
While results have not been as consistent as Perelman would like, the Lions are finding their footing with France star Antoine Griezmann leading the line.
Part of that improvement has been better performances at home. Orlando has only lost one of its last eight home games, and is 6-4-2 at Inter.Co Stadium this season. They have won three of their last four games, with one draw, and Griezmann has been as good as advertised — if not better — with seven goals and three assists in nine MLS appearances.
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“We didn’t want to be where we were before the World Cup, but we started to climb in the table, and nothing is done yet,” Orlando defender Robin Jansson said. “We have to keep improving, keep working and be humble. But we believe in what we’re doing, and hopefully, we can get more of those points.”
Toronto has conceded 10 goals in its last five games, but the visitors have also scored 12 goals across those five unbeaten matches. Joshua Sargent showed why he was brought in as a Designated Player by scoring a hat trick against the Chicago Fire, and Hungarian forward Dániel Sallói has seven goals and six assists this season.
“They’ve been dangerous,” Jansson added. “They have some good players, some guys that’ve been in the league for a long time, so we’re ready for it. But we focus on ourselves first.”
The Lions, tied for second in the league for most goals allowed with 56, need their back line to play like it did against San Diego in a 1-0 victory if they want to earn three points against Toronto.
An Orlando loss would see Toronto jump the Lions in the standings. Entering the weekend, only four points separate the Lions and 12th place. The table is tight as the season nears its end, so Orlando needs to maximize points at home if it wants to make a serious playoff push.
The Lions will step outside MLS play in their next match. Orlando City will travel to Columbus, Ohio, on Wednesday to face the Crew in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals. That match is at 7 p.m. The other semi is St. Louis at Colorado on Wednesday at 9:30 p.m. The Lions’ next MLS match will be next Saturday at New England.