OSJ Staff File Photo
Tuesday morning at the Orlando City training ground in Kissimmee.
Still somewhat fresh off the weekend’s 3-0 victory on the road against the New York Red Bulls.
A film review of last Saturday’s game starts off the day and that’s followed by a brief strength and conditioning workout led by Fabian Bazan.
The players gather on the field and are dialed in as head coach Oscar Pareja lays out the day’s training plans.
Much has changed over the last month. After only recording three wins in a span of 12 games, the Lions find themselves unbeaten in their last five — enough to keep them above the playoff line in the Eastern Conference midway through the 2023 regular season.
Pareja said he sees his team looking more poised inside the box, and that’s marked the difference during their current run of form ahead of Saturday’s game against the Colorado Rapids at Exploria Stadium at 7:30 p.m.
“I think we have found some rhythm in the way we create sequences,” he said. “I think we are more confident now in the box, obviously the boys are finding the way to score goals. That was what we missed on the first part that we create and we were playing okay games, but we were not putting the goal in the back of the net. So that obviously creates a different environment once you find it, so we’re good but we’re not overconfident at all. We know that it’s a lot of work to do still.”
Orlando (6-4-5, 23 points) has scored 10 goals in its last five games — an improvement from the previous five-game stretch where the Lions only scored ironically five times.
But perhaps the biggest task this weekend for Orlando is utilizing its unbeaten run of five games to not only win consecutively for the first time this season but doing so at home, a place where the team has struggled for much of the year.
“It’s not secret, we haven’t been great at home,” said Pareja. “That’s been a difference which has us fighting midtable. We’re responsible and aware and what we have to do is to continue to try. We know have a good record on the road but we also have to be competitive at home.”
Pareja has deployed the same starting lineup in the last two games.
For defender Robin Jansson, that’s been a change in the right direction, adding the team has been playing more like a unit and that’s allowed the group on the field to play consistently.
“You get to know each other the more you play with each other and games are where you are getting to know your teammates the best and also in the training too,” said Jansson. “Consistency is very important and then of course it’s a lot of games, we always need to do change the squad here on there because of injuries or whatever happens to get through the season. So I think on that part we need to step up as a team to be better when we’re changing around the squad.”
Quick Notes
Pedro Gallese, Wilder Cartagena and Facundo Torres will leave to their respective national team following Saturday’s game against Colorado.
Gallese and Cartagena will be with Peru to take on South Korea on June 16 and Japan on June 20. Meanwhile, Torres will be with Uruguay as La Celeste play Nicaragua, June 14 and Cuba on June 20.
All three player will be out for the June 17 match at New England Revolution and likely for the June 21 game at home against the Philadelphia Union.
Injury update: Luca Petrasso returned to Orlando City training this week after a significant time away after suffering a lower-body injury. The fullback hasn’t played since the April 15 game at Minnesota United.
Cesar Araujo, who left last weekend’s game at Red Bull early in the second half, resumed normal training earlier this week. Pareja said it was nothing serious and should be available for selection.
Mikey Halliday, who was with the United States national team for the U-17 World Cup, was expected to return to training after taking a couple days off.
Extra help: Alejandro Granados signed a short-term deal with Orlando City from Orlando City B on Friday. He’ll be available for selection on Saturday against Colorado.
The 17-year-old midfielder recently played for the Spanish U-17 national team in the most recent European Championship.
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