Watch #PHIvORL for free on Saturday on the Apple TV app starting at 7:30PM ET.
But before that how do you react to an extra time loss on the road? Jim Curtin’s team has been one of the very best in MLS for years now because they don’t do losing streaks. So after a late, confusing failure in Montreal, the Union prepare for Orlando with a limited roster but a huge chip on their shoulder.
Julian Carranza’s red card coupled with Daniel Gazdag’s international call-up means Curtin has very few attacking options on Saturday. Chris Donovan’s pace could come into play, and the Union could drop Joaquin Torres from the front line into a No. 10 role to be more of a creator. Torres has the ability, but he also tends to take a few more touches on the ball than Gazdag at his peak. Picking out early passes that play into Mikael Uhre’s strengths as a runner in behind will be key if Torres is going to be a difference-maker on Saturday.
Uhre will also need to play a very dynamic, multi-faceted game. His ability to stretch a defense is obvious, but the Dane is also capable of checking in and holding off his man to bring others into play. Some games Uhre does this early and starts to get a feel for the structure of a match, while other times he struggles to get involved early and doesn’t put enough fear into defenses. With Carranza and Gazdag out, Uhre knows he’s the focal point of this attack and he has to play like a man on a mission.
Typically, the midfield supporting the front three involves Alejandro Bedoya, Jose Martinez, and Leon Flach. However, Martinez’s Venezuela call-up could lead to a waterfall of changes. Jesus Bueno could step in as a holding midfielder, but Curtin could also call on Andres Perea’s big engine in either a holding role or a No. 8, which could slot Flach into the deeper position or trigger a 4-2-3-1 with Flach or Bueno and Bedoya sitting behind Perea, Torres, and potentially the versatile Matt Real.
In back, the only question is if Curtin uses this match to provide newly extended Nate Harriel with minutes so Olivier Mbaizo is fresh for a busy schedule when the Union face Sporting Kansas City and Atlas on April 1 and April 4. Joe Bendik will almost certainly continue in goal until Andre Blake returns from injury.
One of the more interesting storylines for this match is how both clubs respond without their starting goalkeepers. Blake and Pedro Gallese are two of the best in MLS, and Gallese’s international call-up means Mason Stajduhar is likely to get the call for the Lions. Stajduhar has been in a similar position to Matt Freese the past few seasons with limited opportunities coming his way as Gallese has shown out. Now the Orlando Homegrown will need to be locked in since a depleted Union attack means this could be a match settled by a few big chances. Last time the Union played a MLS game at home, a goalkeeper error at the death allowed Joaquin Torres to win it for Philly.
At the other end of the pitch, Orlando is looking for Martin Ojeda to become a gamebreaker after the new DP notched his first goal on a stuff-back against Charlotte last weekend. Ojeda plays off the wing and at times the Lions have had trouble creating situations where their wingers get into dangerous positions in the box. With attacking midfielder Facundo Torres away with Uruguay, Mauricio Pereyra is likely to stride forward into that role and provide more of a distributive presence than Torres, who always has half an eye on the goal.
The Lions and Union face off at 7:30pm ET at Subaru Park, with the match streaming live for free on the Apple TV app.
