Orlando City vs. Minnesota United FC: Three Keys to Victory

Orlando City hosts Western Conference foe Minnesota United FC this Saturday night at Inter&Co Stadium at 7:30 p.m. The Lions are coming off the Concacaf Champions Cup match against Tigres UANL on Tuesday night and will have to travel to Mexico for the return match this coming Tuesday. It’s been a busy start to the year for the Lions.

What does Orlando City need to do to get its first win of the MLS regular season?

Manage Minutes

Have no doubt that traveling to and from Canada and Fort Lauderdale can wear on a club — especially when it’s six matches in 18 days. Regardless, Orlando City needs to do what is necessary to win the match while keeping in mind the match coming up at Tigres. Trying to do so with a rotated and potentially tired roster doesn’t make it easy.

Balancing the dual objectives of the regular season and the Concacaf Champions Cup matches is difficult. Oscar Pareja likes to play his preferred starters, but even early in the season these players need rest. Which players sit or get limited minutes in this match will not only determine this result but potentially the Tigres match as well.

Earn a Clean Sheet

Orlando City will need several clean sheets to make up for that Miami match, and it needs to start against Minnesota United. The Loons have three goals in their first two matches including one from draft pick Tani Oluwaseyi. He hasn’t played a full match in MLS but already has a goal. Stopping him and the rest of the attack is a must.

Clean sheets aren’t solely on the keeper, even if it’s Pedro Gallese. On defense it starts with Wilder Cartagena and Cesar Araujo. Cartagena has looked mostly like himself so far, but Araujo seems out of sorts. He wasn’t good in Fort Lauderdale and wasn’t passing well in the match against Tigres. Orlando City needs the youngster to get his head sorted out.

Where are the Goals?

Orlando City hasn’t scored a goal so far in the MLS regular season. The club also hasn’t scored in the last two matches. It is eerily reminiscent of early last season, and it needs to get fixed now. I understand that Luis Muriel and Nico Lodeiro need time to adjust, but Facundo Torres, Ivan Angulo, and Duncan McGuire do not.

Muriel saw more time on the pitch than McGuire did in the match against Tigres, though I thought he made some good runs and looked like a threat to score. I suspect he’ll get the start this weekend so I need him to be more than just threatening. I need him to finish the chances. Orlando City needs to break the goal drought.

That is what I will be looking for this Saturday night against the visiting Loons. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Vamos Orlando!