‘Florida is Purple’
Orlando City completely dominated in-state rival Inter Miami on Sunday, whipping the Messi-less Herons 4-1 at Exploria Stadium.
Orlando City SC defeated Inter Miami 4-1 Sunday, completing a convincing Major League Soccer regular-season season sweep of its in-state rivals. The Lions beat Miami 3-0 in South Florida in May. CREDIT: Orlando City SC
Lions shine in Florida Derby
Orlando City greeted arch-rival Inter Miami with an old-fashioned whoopin’ Sunday at Exploria Stadium.
The 4-1 final score was deceiving; it wasn’t nearly that close. Orlando coach Oscar Pareja gave the Purple a clear game plan the Lions’ executed efficiently, with confidence, energy and, when necessary, patience.
The result was a convincing regular-season sweep of the Sunshine Derby by a combined 7-1 score and the Lions’ leapfrogging Miami into fourth place in Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference with 44 points. The Herons (42 points) fell to sixth, behind the Columbus Crew (44 points).
The Philadelphia Union (51 points) remains atop the conference, followed by FC Cincinnati (49) and Nashville (47).
Pareja — “Papi” — has a reputation for prioritizing defense, protecting the Lions’ goal and waiting to loose the league’s most productive group of designated players on the counterattack. That’s how MLS teams have had success against Miami, and clearly what first-year Miami coach Javier Mascherano expected.
Instead, Pareja deployed a high press and counter-press, forcing turnovers and quick opportunities in transition. Luis Muriel scored in the second minute after the press forced an Inter Miami miscue, providing proof of Pareja’s concept and a preview of the next 88-plus minutes.
Muriel scored twice (2’, 50’) and fellow DPs Martin Ojeda (58’) and Marco Pašalić (88’) added Orlando’s other goals. Ojeda and Muriel added assists.
The performance earned Pareja, Muriel and Ojeda spots on the MLS Team of the Matchday and Muriel Player of the Matchday.
Orlando’s designated players have contributed 63 goal contributions (41 goals, 22 assists) overall for the Lions in 31 matches this season, 50 in 26 MLS matches. Ojeda leads the way with 17 scores and 12 assists in all matches, playing his way into the MLS Most Valuable Player conversation.
Orlando did play very well, but the Herons played even more poorly. If Mascherano had a plan, it wasn’t obvious. Players were confused about positioning, defensive assignments, offensive strategy…it was a shockingly poor performance by Mascherano and most of his players. Yannick Bright, a second-year defensive midfielder, provided Los Garzas’ only highlight in the fifth minute, smashing a volley into Orlando’s net from distance.
Some supporters will note that Miami played without all-everything icon Lionel Messi, who missed a second straight match after leaving the Herons’ Leagues Cup match against Necaxa early with a “minor muscle injury.” It wouldn’t have mattered.
The teams could meet in a rare third Sunshine Clasico if Miami defeats Tigres and Orlando dispatches Toluca in the quarterfinals Aug. 20, and maybe even a fourth (and fifth) in the MLS Cup playoffs in October.
First, though, the Pink will try to rebound Saturday at home against the defending champion but woefully diminished Los Angeles Galaxy (16 points, last in the Western Conference).
Orlando will host Sporting KC (21 points, 13th in the West) on Saturday.