Two

A two-week break before its next game could prove very beneficial for Orlando City.

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Orlando City did not want to exit Leagues Cup. It definitely didn’t want to exit it to Inter Miami, and it especially didn’t want the loss to come hand in hand with some…interesting officiating decisions. What’s done is done though, and now that the Lions are out of the running, their exit from the competition doesn’t have to be a bad thing. OCSC won’t play another game of competitive soccer for a little over two weeks, when the team travels to the Midwest to take on the Chicago Fire. In my opinion, though it stings to be out of Leagues Cup courtesy of the pink team to the south, a two-week layoff could hardly come at a better time for the Lions.

For one thing, although the injury list isn’t a mile long, Orlando doesn’t have a clean bill of health either. Gaston Gonzalez and Mikey Halliday were both listed as out on the availability report for the Inter Miami match, and while Junior Urso was listed as questionable with a right lower leg issue, he did not make the matchday roster, and has yet to do so since his re-signing. Halliday has been a starter when fit, Gonzalez was beginning to look more impactful coming off the bench before going down injured, and Urso will almost certainly slot in as the first defensive midfielder off the bench once he’s healthy. Having some extra time to get those guys fit, and potentially even reintegrated into training with the squad, is never going to be a bad thing.

Then, there’s the issue of rest for the guys who are currently healthy. The season is a long one, and Oscar Pareja has a tendency to eschew rotation once he finds a formation and starting XI that he really likes. Papi has deployed the same lineup in three of the Lions’ last four games, with the only change coming against the Houston Dynamo when Martin Ojeda got the start instead of Mauricio Pereyra. Those minutes add up during the hot, grueling slog of summer and these two weeks are valuable time for guys with a lot of minutes on their legs to rest and recover.

The Lions did a startlingly good job of navigating the summer months that are typically absolutely brutal for them. OCSC finds itself sitting fifth in a crowded Eastern Conference table with 11 games left to play in the season. The tricky thing is that six of those 11 games are against teams currently above the playoff line, and two of those are road matches against Supporters Shield leaders FC Cincinnati and a Nashville SC team that Orlando always has a tough time against. It isn’t the worst possible finish to the season, but it’s a long way from being a cake walk. That means that having extra time to rest, get healthy, and work on any areas of concern on the training ground could prove to be invaluable.

It sucks to be out of the running for a trophy, but I think a lot of fans and people involved with the club dearly want to improve on OCSC’s record in the playoffs. It isn’t enough to just make the playoffs and bow out after a game. This team and its fans want to see a deep run in the postseason. If the chips fall the right way, having a breather before entering the home stretch of the season might be exactly what this team needs to make that happen.

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Some things that stood out from the first half of the 2023 MLS season.

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After a forgettable match last weekend against the New England Revolution in Foxborough, Orlando City officially became the last team in the Eastern Conference to reach the halfway point of the regular season. A quick check of the table shows the Lions firmly entrenched in the playoff hunt currently sitting at seventh place on 27 points, but upon closer examination (looking at you Atlanta and D.C.), there a few teams who closely surround Orlando City in the standings which the Lions have a game or two in hand on. As the season slugs along into the dog days of summer and the matches level out, OCSC could very easily see its position climb up a rung or two on the ladder of the division.

The halfway point provides a great opportunity to take a look back at the first 17 games of the season (though the Lions have played 18 after Wednesday’s home game against the Union) and reflect on the highs and lows of the year thus far. What follows are my top three thoughts on how Orlando City has fared throughout the first half of the MLS regular season.

After Orlando City was bounced from the Concacaf Champions League, the team found that its MLS results would best be personified by a rollercoaster rolling up and down several hills in quick succession. Described by yours truly as the poster children for inconsistency, Orlando City alternated wins and losses for seven straight matches from March 18 to May 6. To add insult to injury for most diehard fans, Orlando found itself losing at home and winning on the road. However, with the season consisting of 17 home and 17 away games, it truly doesn’t matter in which venue the points are gathered. Prior to match 17, in which Orlando fell to the Revolution while being quite shorthanded, it seemed as though at least on the surface the squad had figured things out, putting together a string of six matches without a loss.

Chalk it up to injury, chemistry, or just bad luck, the beginning of the season was a grind for the players that the coaches and staff were counting on to put the ball in the back of the net. Designated Player Ercan Kara dealt with a knock. Facundo Torres, after scoring the first goal of the season in the opening match, struggled mighty until his recent run of good form pulled his season back on track just before the international break. As these hiccups were working themselves out, one catch phrase started to rise above the fray and that was that Orlando runs on Duncan (McGuire). Selected with the sixth pick overall in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft out of Creighton University, McGuire quickly and with authority has made his name known to all those in Central Florida.

Scoring his first MLS goal in the 53rd minute against D.C. United on March 11, McGuire has demonstrated that he has the ability to put the ball in the back of the net, maturity in his decision-making, and a slight flair for the theatrics, as three of his five goals in the first half of the season came after the 80th minute.

In stoppage time! 🚨🗣Duncan McGuire finds the equalizer for @OrlandoCity against Columbus! pic.twitter.com/lqxZrNzVs9

Orlando City has found success drafting strikers in the past and it looks like the team has found another quality contributor in the youngster, who had seven goal contributions in the season’s first half.

The biggest question through the first few months of the season was whether or not the Orlando City attack would actually figure things out. New Designated Player Martin Ojeda started the early season strong, with three goal contributions in matches against D.C. United and Charlotte FC in the middle of March. At one point he led MLS in shots taken (the man is not afraid to shoot…seriously from anywhere). As with any new player in the league, it appeared as though he has experienced some of the growing pains of acclimating to the physicality and demands of MLS. Over the last five matches prior to his rainy start in Foxborough, Ojeda had been utilized as a super sub coming off the bench with fresh legs to bolster the attack, and he responded with a goal and two assists in four of those five appearances. Kara has rebounded from the injury in the beginning portion of the season that kept him out of several matches and used the month of May to remind fans and critics just what he is capable of, as he scored four times in five games. Torres had recorded dry spells of six games and five games without finding the back of the net, but after a brace in New Jersey against the New York Red Bulls and a goal and assist at home two weekends ago against the Colorado Rapids, it appears that the Orlando City superstar might finally be back to his confident self. If the second half of the season can see these three DPs combine their powers all at the same time, the Orlando City attack could quickly take a massive leap forward.

A quick shout out to Ivan Angulo and Kyle Smith seems to be in order when looking back at the first half of the season. Angulo opened his scoring account this season and has been carving up defenders left, right, and center while contributing offensively. Smith has been deployed this year in his typical Swiss Army knife style, has provided Orlando City defensive services on both flanks, and recently has been allowed to roam forward, which has proven to be a fun and effective wrinkle in the formation.

While not technically part of the MLS regular season, I keep finding myself drawn back to the effort that the coaches and players put in during their short run in the Concacaf Champions League. Matched up against Mexican perennial powerhouse Tigres, Orlando City went to Mexico and did what very few U.S. clubs have done, as they played the hosts to a draw without two main starters in Kara and Antonio Carlos. A week later, the Lions hosted the second leg of the match and wound up with a draw once again. Tigres only advanced because of rules — stupid rules, but rules nonetheless — regarding total away goals, but despite not advancing in the tournament, Orlando City played better than many experts predicted, and I still feel a strong sense of pride thinking back to those matches.

The first half of the season is officially behind us, and while there have been some ups and downs on the season thus far, I feel like Orlando City is in a great position to climb the table towards hosting a home playoff match. What have been your biggest impressions from the first half of the season? Let us know in the comments below.

These incidents are too frequent, showing that our clubs, our league, and our sport can and should be doing more.

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For as long as sporting contests are played by human beings, sports will always serve as a microcosm of society. As racism, oppression, and hate speech have no place in any civilized society, it has no place in sports, and yet we continue to see incidents of it both domestically and abroad. We (the royal “we,” that is) simply tolerate intolerant behavior far too often.

Whether this behavior is truly on the rise, if those who exhibit this behavior are being emboldened to do so lately by something, or if a refusal to put up with it any longer is simply leading to it being called out more often — or if it’s a combination of these things — is a matter for a much deeper study than this post will provide. The bottom line is that such ugly behavior is still being carried onto the pitch and it needs to stop. The vast majority of us are at least rational enough to know it needs to stop, and we want it to stop, but it isn’t stopping and those in a position to stop it or at least reduce its frequency are simply not doing so.

Major League Soccer recently had an opportunity to send a message about the use of such behavior on the pitch, but chose to send the wrong one. Last weekend’s match between the San Jose Earthquakes and New York Red Bulls went through a lengthy delay in the second half, when San Jose striker Jeremy Ebobisse, who is Black, said that a Red Bulls player — striker Dante Vanzeir, as it turned out — used a racial slur. Some pushing and shoving among the team’s players ensued, and referee Ismir Pekmic spent quite awhile gathering information.

During that time, it appeared that Red Bulls goalkeeper Carlos Coronel was informing manager Gerhard Struber what had taken place. Struber opted not to remove Vanzeir from the match. Vanzeir was shown milling about, smiling sheepishly. It’s impossible for people who weren’t on the pitch to know what information was being conveyed, so there was no proof that Struber was aware of exactly what took place, but the video didn’t paint him in the best light with the way things turned out.

The in-game investigation at Red Bull Arena by Pekmic also wasn’t immediately apparent to those in the stands, nor to fans around the league, and a photo of fourth official Chris Penso holding up a sign with more than 20 minutes of stoppage time went viral on social media. It’s simply not normal to see so much stoppage time tacked on. New York’s Tom Barlow scored in the 17th minute of injury time, and the game finished tied at 1-1.

News of why the match was stopped for so long eventually spread, and Vanzeir’s and Struber’s actions fell under intense scrutiny. Vanzeir reportedly owned up to saying something offensive, and the club announced soon after that the forward had “stepped away” from the team so as to avoid creating distractions. On Thursday, Vanzeir was suspended for six games and fined an undisclosed amount by Major League Soccer.

As a minor addendum, Vanzeir also may not play in the U.S. Open Cup, exhibition games or in MLS NEXT Pro matches during his suspension, and he must participate in training and education sessions. MLS purports to have “zero tolerance” for racist behavior on its pitch and in its stands, yet this punishment shows that the league has at least some tolerance for it.

As is usually the case, money is a central factor in this situation. MLS rosters are largely constructed around a small number of talented and expensive players the league calls “Designated Players.” Vanzeir is one of those and, as such, is a major investment by the club’s ownership. Kicking him out of the league or suspending the forward for the rest of the season would indeed send a stronger message, and one more in line with an actual policy of zero tolerance, but it would also likely have a competitive impact on both the Red Bulls and the Eastern Conference.

It would take time for New York to find and secure the services of a roster replacement. On-field results could impact attendance. Jobs could be lost both on the technical side and in other areas. I’m not unsympathetic to the club or its fans, but if this kind of behavior isn’t dealt with in a stronger manner, what is the incentive for teams to improve their vetting process when recruiting potential players? What serves as a deterrent for the next incident?

As for Red Bulls fans, many of them have recognized that there is an issue bigger than soccer at play. The supporters groups have been vocal proponents of harsher punishment for Vanzeir, even though it could hurt their team on the field. Empire SC immediately denounced the punishment as insufficient.

We are beyond disappointed by the announced suspension of only six games. This is a miscarriage of justice and a dereliction of duty on the part of MLS. It is clear that "zero tolerance" is just a slogan to MLS and that they are not serious about removing racism from the game. https://t.co/jTPs18yPZg

Vikings Army SC issued a statement that its members intend to walk out in protest at tonight’s match.

Our members have told us they want to take a stand, please read.#RBNY pic.twitter.com/yenR3aHguK

The South Ward issued a strong statement as well, calling for harsher punishment of Vanzeir and the dismissal of Struber, who was not punished by MLS. The South Ward also pointed the finger at the club for not doing more.

#RBNY pic.twitter.com/7aLJWs1KmV

It is commendable to see fans put the need for social change above the success of their sports team. It’s also a shame that such actions are still necessary in this day and age.

Unlike the messaging from fans, the messaging that came out of this week from those in positions to do something was unacceptable on all counts. The league released a statement saying, “MLS has zero tolerance for abusive and offensive language and takes these allegations seriously.”

As mentioned above, six games looks a lot more like tolerance at a level much higher than zero. If the league truly wants to stamp out such behavior, it needs to do more than mandate some training and force a player to sit out for a few games. Similarly, if the league fails to act strongly enough, there is no reason why its member clubs can’t hold its employees accountable at a higher standard than MLS does.

Vanzeir’s statement Monday said: “I will do everything I can to be part of the change that needs to happen in this sport and our world. I also want to apologize to my teammates, coaches, the organization and our fans. I made a mistake and will take all the necessary steps to grow. While I did not intend to cause any harm or offense with my language, I know that I did and for that I am deeply sorry.”

This seems disingenuous when you consider that hate speech, by its very nature, is intended to cause harm or offense. There is no purpose for using it outside of inflicting harm/offense toward someone. None. While Vanzeir is Belgian and therefore a language barrier may exist to some extent, MLS mandates training for all players that should clearly indicate what is and is not permissible and this includes languages other than English.

Racist behavior, or sexism, or discrimination against others for sexuality, age, physical impairment, or any other reason may never be fully eradicated, but societal intolerance of it can be achieved. That requires widespread buy-in, regardless of monetary or time considerations.

The Vanzeir incident could happen anywhere and it has happened in many places, including other MLS cities. It could affect any club. As such, I reached out to Orlando City to inquire about what the league’s exact mandates are in terms of training players/staff on offensive language and what the club is doing. The club referred me to the league offices rather than get into specifics about what MLS and/or the NWSL require, however, an OCSC spokesman did respond with some insight as to what takes place at Orlando City SC, stating the club’s standards exceed what is required by the league(s).

“Each season, our club holds anti-harassment training and, as part of that, all players and all club staff (front office and technical) are given training on prohibited speech — across a number of languages — by our in-house and outside counsel. For us, this is something we are really proud of as it goes beyond what is required by either league, and we feel we are setting the standard for across MLS and NWSL. Overall, we’ve increased our investment in a number of trainings across the club, which again, all go beyond what is required by the leagues, but something we feel is very important in developing the best culture and expectations for our players and our staff members.”

I had also hoped to gain some insight as to whether there is some vetting process when the club is considering signing players, because that is important. After all, the club’s athletes and personnel will spend a great deal of time inside Exploria Stadium, a venue that includes 49 colored seats in a rainbow pattern. Those seats are in remembrance of the victims of the 2016 terrorist attack at the Pulse nightclub leveled at the LGBTQ community — a tragedy with effects that still ripple through our city.

For the 49. 🌈 #OrlandoUnited pic.twitter.com/lliWcE6w3b

In the history of sport, there have always been clubs that put more (or less) emphasis on the character of their players than others. The way soccer operates worldwide, and often on conflicting schedules, makes it difficult to perform due diligence to ascertain players’ attitudes, beliefs, and values. While I’m sure that some vetting takes place, it’s difficult to know the extent of that without more transparency.

It’s going to take the global soccer village to eliminate — or at least greatly reduce — these kinds of incidents. It’s certainly going to require leagues and clubs to deal with them more harshly. Beyond that, it’s going to take the entire global community to eliminate such behavior in society.

Progress has been made in many places but there’s still a long way to go. Even the lengthiest journey can be a worthwhile one.

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