(Photo by Victor Tan / New Day Review)
Sept. 20, 2017 at Sylvan Lake Park
Availability: HC Jason Kreis, MF Antonio Nocerino
- Orlando City SC is coming off a two-game road trip in which it earned four points.
- City first earned a 2-1 win over D.C. United on Sept. 9 before working to a 3-3 draw with Atlanta United FC on Sept. 16.
- The Lions battled with their neighbors to the north in front of a sold-out crowd of over 70,000 fans in the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
HC JASON KREIS: “You know, obviously, I think any game that you give up three goals, regardless of who the competition is, you have to look and see what the errors were. I thought that we had some pretty glaring, obvious errors by individual players on the goals, but, having said that, I do think that we need to take a step back or step sideways and say that’s a pretty good attacking team, Atlanta, and they’ve shown that over the season with how many goals they’re capable of scoring all the time. And the fact that we scored three goals, I think, was a real positive sign for us as well. So, all in all, I think at any other moment in the season, or if we have a few more points in our pocket, we’re probably walking away saying we’re thrilled to get that result in a sold-out stadium. But, at the moment, when we were so desperate for the three, it feels like a little bit of a disappointment.”
“It’s terrific [to see the league with environments like the Portland Timbers, Atlanta and Orlando]. It’s really exciting. It’s a good moment to be a part of the league. There’s so many positives that are happening in and around the league and so many fantastic things about the communities that the teams are in and how much people are paying attention to the teams and, finally, the atmospheres in the stadiums are, I think, improved everywhere that we go. But those three spots, in particular—Portland, Atlanta and Orlando—are top of the charts, no doubt.”
MF ANTONIO NOCERINO: “The—is good performance because is a play the before with the D.C. is play very well. The team is play hard and, with Atlanta, is the same. The team is a work hard, is good together because it’s important when no play in the home. Is important have result. I hope is a three points every game, but when is no have the possibility for win, it’s important no lose. And two game out the home is four point. Is good, but now it’s important watch the game the Portland because is very important.”
“How many game is finish the season? Five? Six? Five. Now is five final. It’s now important when you—which you play. It’s important watch the my team. It’s important work for win. This is five game because is five final. It’s important work for three point. For team, it’s very important. Now is no look before but look this is five final, and I hope 15 point, maybe.”
- City will conclude their four-game road trip with a visit to Portland on Sunday at 8 p.m.
- Against Atlanta, the Lions faced Miguel Almirón and his eight goals and 12 assists.
- The Lions will face someone similar on Sunday in Portland’s Diego Valeri, who has scored in each of his last games, totaling 18 goals so far this season.
HC JASON KREIS: “I think the really nice thing about playing Portland, right now, is that they’re very similar to Atlanta. Portland’s Valeri is similar to Atlanta’s Almirón. Both wanna occupy very similar spaces. Both are looking for the ball in the same sorts of areas. Both are very lethal when they have the ball at their foot. And so I think that we’ll be fully prepared.”
“It’s terrific [to see the league with environments like Portland, Atlanta and Orlando]. It’s really exciting. It’s a good moment to be a part of the league. There’s so many positives that are happening in and around the league and so many fantastic things about the communities that the teams are in and how much people are paying attention to the teams and, finally, the atmospheres in the stadiums are, I think, improved everywhere that we go. But those three spots, in particular—Portland, Atlanta and Orlando—are top of the charts, no doubt.”
- Lions forward Dom Dwyer scored his first two goals for City in the draw with Atlanta.
- Dwyer also recorded his first two City assists in each of the last two games.
- The United States men’s national team have two 2018 World Cup qualifiers remaining, one being against the Panamanian men’s national team in Orlando City Stadium on Oct. 6.
- Dwyer has been in consideration for a USMNT call-up, as he’s scored in each of his two caps against Ghanaian men’s national team and Panama in early July 2017.
HC JASON KREIS: “Yeah, I’m quite certain that he feels like he’s gotten not a monkey off his back but a large-sized ape. And so he’s feeling very good, and we’re feeling very good for him.”
“(jokingly) Yeah, yeah. [Dwyer scoring his first City goals] is all due to the coach. It’s all coaching.”
“No, I think Dom took up some fantastic spots. I think that the way our outside backs were positioned in this match—both of them had an assist in the game. Both of them had an assist to Dom. I think that those were critical moments as well as just his willingness to compete and to get up to head both those balls were fantastic plays. And then his assist to [Cyle Larin’s] header in the second half was a terrific pass as well.”
“Yeah, I mean, I know that [Dwyer’s] in consideration. I know he’s in the pool that they’re always thinking about, so wouldn’t surprise me at all if [USMNT head coach Bruce Arena] looks at the timing of the situation as well as the fact that the game’s in Orlando and makes a move like that. But, again, that’s his decision. I’m not a part of that.”
“Yeah, you know, [Arena and I have] had conversations. I’ve a really good relationship with Bruce, and I think he’s just done a terrific job of communicating with the [Major League Soccer] coaches about which players he’s thinking about using and then kind of what his decision-making process is as it relates to where we’re at in our season. So, yeah, we’ve had conversations about Dom and a couple of other guys.”
MF ANTONIO NOCERINO: “I hope Dom is score, this five game, two goal for game. Is work hard. Him, is Cyle, Carlos [Rivas], Giles [Barnes], Ricky [Kaká] have the good striker de Orlando. I hope the striker have the possibility for score every game. It’s important created the opportunity for striker, but the team is work for striker, and I hope the striker is score every game. Dom, Cyle—it’s very important for team for scoring when is a work ’cause is work very, very hard.”
- Nocerino assumed the captain’s position to start the game against Atlanta.
MF ANTONIO NOCERINO: “Here, the captain is captain. For me, I have the same responsibility. For me, the captain or no captain, it’s the same. The my responsibility is the same. I work same. I work hard for help everyone, and I have experience, but the captain, no captain no change the my game, the my attitude, the my angry on the pitch because of the captain is today captain, tomorrow, no captain. For me, it’s no important. It’s important have is the good example for player. No change for me.”
For more on Orlando City, as they travel to Portland for their second-to-last road game of the season, follow Victor Tan on Twitter at @NDR_VictorTan.
