An In-Depth Look at Corner Kicks Across All Three Orlando Sides

In 2017, set pieces have been a bit tough for the three Orlando soccer teams. The overall shot conversion rates for Orlando City, the Pride, and Orlando City B have been hit-and-miss for the most part. The MLS side has actually been decent at their set piece conversions, while the other two teams have had less luck. From those set pieces, let’s delve a bit deeper specifically into corner kicks.

Between the three Orlando teams, there have been six goals scored from a corner kick out of 249 attempts, which means they have converted roughly 2.4% of their chances from corners.

However, it is not just traditional corner kicks that have been the issue for the Orlando sides. Most recently, all three head coaches have implemented short corner routines where the players, instead of just booting the ball into the box straight from the corner flag, play it short to a waiting player near the corner and try to then get it into the box. Usually, it will result in a turnover and a counter attack for the opposition. Rarely has it actually worked for any Orlando team to this point.

This past weekend, Alanna Kennedy did manage to score off a short corner routine, which got me thinking of just how many goals this season have come off short corners. So, after a bit of research, here’s a breakdown of all three Orlando teams individually and how they’ve done with corner kicks.

Orlando City

To this point in the season, Orlando is actually one of the best teams in MLS in set pieces and goals scored from them. The team has four goals from corners (out of 91 attempts) and four from dead-ball free kicks, which is good for the fourth-best in the league. Three goals have come from a conventional corner: Servando Carrasco vs. New York Red Bulls, Cyle Larin vs. the LA Galaxy, and Jonathan Spector vs. Montreal Impact.

The Lions have actually managed one goal from a short corner routine, coming in the game in Toronto back on May 4. Kaká managed to get on the end of a ball after he took the corner short to Luis Gil. He then fed it up to Carlos Rivas, who put a cross into the box for Larin who headed it down into the path of Kaká, who was completely unmarked to finish off.

Orlando Pride

The Pride to this point in the year have scored just two goals from corners out of 79 attempts. Out of those 79 attempted corners, one of the two goals was short and one conventional, and it just so happens that both goals came from the same player: Alanna Kennedy. The first goal she scored was in the 4-2 win in Houston back on June 17.

The other goal she scored was just this past weekend against FC Kansas City. It came off a short corner after Camila passed it from the corner to Marta, who crossed it in for Kennedy to get her head on it and score the first goal of an eventual 4-1 win at home.

Orlando City B

OCB has the unfortunate stat of having not converted on any of its 79 corners thus far. 17 of its 18 goals through its first 18 games have come through the run of play or from a penalty, on which they’ve scored two. The young Lions did have one set-piece goal back on April 18 in Harrisburg, which Zach Carroll scored in the 93rd minute, but outside of that, there have been no other goals from dead-ball situations or corners.

So, what do you think? Let us know in the comments your thoughts on Orlando teams’ set pieces and corner kicks.