Orlando City feels absence of Sebas Méndez amid late-season stumble

Orlando City is missing its key to consistency as the team chases a second-straight playoff berth under coach Oscar Pareja.

The Lions haven’t entered free fall yet, but they are facing their worst run of the last two seasons — three straight losses, 12 goals allowed in four games.

At the heart of this late-season slump is a gaping hole in the defensive midfield where Sebas Méndez typically commands the team’s tempo.

Méndez hasn’t played a match for the Lions since July 17, when he exited with a deep bone bruise in his foot in the 14th minute against Toronto.

The Lions have only lost one match with Méndez in the starting lineup this year. Without him, they’re beginning to flounder in the midfield.

“This year, we have found the Sebas that we all want and he’s carrying the team,” Pareja said. “He’s [taken] the responsibility to be the one who’s moving the team in the middle.”

Méndez was a role player in his first two seasons with the Lions, but his third season has been markedly different.

Invigorated after moving his parents to Orlando ahead of the 2021 season, the 24-year-old doubled down on his efforts to become a starter for Orlando City and Ecuador.

As a defensive midfielder, Méndez doesn’t stand out on the scoreline. Instead, his role is to provide quiet stability — completing more than 90% of his passes, swallowing up counterattacks before they even start and feeding the creativity of top attackers like Mauricio Pereyra.

His role glues together the backline and the rest of the team, supplying the smothering presence that allowed the Lions to start the season as the best defense in the league.

“Sebas has been taking steps since I came in 2019,” centerback Robin Jansson said. “He knows how to be in the right spot. In the moment when we lose the ball, he is the one that is there, getting the ball back. He’s controlling the game.”

The Lions have relied on second-year midfielder Joey DeZart during Méndez’ injury. This period of growth for DeZart will benefit the Lions long-term.

Even when healthy, Méndez will routinely miss Lions games for international duty as he becomes a key starter for Ecuador. Uri Rosell hasn’t provided a consistent depth option for two seasons due to injury.

If DeZart continues to rise as a reliable replacement, the Lions will reap the benefits of another low-cost draft player. But in a critical playoff push, the Lions need to reorganize with their top players available.

Their playoff futures might rest — at least partially — on Méndez’ recovery.

Bone bruises are cantankerous injuries. The Lions’ medical staff was initially optimistic about Méndez, forecasting his return within a matter of days.

But the midfielder continued to experience pain when running and kicking the ball. He won’t be cleared to play until that pain disappears.

The Lions will be tested further if Méndez still can’t return against the New England Revolution. Centerback Antonio Carlos is suspended for the match following a red card.

Júnior Urso will return from suspension against New England, but the Lions could still be missing two of the starters who make up the spine of the team directly in front of goal. Those absences come against a New England team averaging 1.8 goals per game.

The Lions aren’t in a desperate position — one win could bounce them back up to the second spot in the Eastern Conference. But another loss could drop the Lions to the outer rim of playoff contention.

Until Méndez returns, the Lions will need to find a new source of stability to steady their final push for a postseason position.

This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Julia Poe at jpoe@orlandosentinel.com.