As the Lions chase their second straight playoff berth under coach Oscar Pareja, Orlando City faces its first of two decisive matchups against Montreal in the final five-game stretch.
The Lions will play Montreal again in their final match of the regular season. These two games could determine playoff fates for both sides, although the teams are in slightly different positions.
Orlando City is emerging from a short midseason skid to regain a place at fourth overall in the Eastern Conference table with 45 points. Montreal sits four points lower in the seventh spot as the final team above the postseason line.
Although he emphasizes planning ahead with long-term goals, Pareja said the Lions will focus on one matchup at a time as they face Montreal for the first time.
“We are all the time in the planning mode, but sometimes I try not to do it that much,” Pareja said. “This isn’t an everyday match. It’s a different urgency, a different mood of the players, a different physicality. We’re trying to convince the players of the importance to stay in the present.”
Despite tumbling out of its secure second-place spot in the standings, Orlando City is riding a hot streak after wins against Cincinnati and D.C. United.
Striker Daryl Dike notched a three-game scoring streak ahead of the October international break, and he’ll be a main focus of attention for the Lions’ offense. But for Orlando City to maintain consistency, it must produce scoring from a wide variety of options rather than a small group of high scorers.
With a game-winning goal against Cincinnati last Saturday, Júnior Urso proved the importance of production through the midfield. The Lions found success by testing a more diverse selection of long-range shots against Cincinnati, which Urso said boosted team confidence in their ability to score from different angles.
“If you want to go to the playoffs, then you need to win games,” winger Silvester van der Water said. “That’s what you work for. That’s what this moment is about. That’s what we need. We give everything and you saw it. After the game, we got a lot of feelings that we are happy, we were screaming to each other, and we said that we just need to keep going.”
The Lions are nearing a complete roster. Midfielder Sebas Méndez and goalkeeper Pedro Gallese have returned from international duty. Gallese is expected to play Wednesday after suffering a knock against Cincinnati.
Striker Alexandre Pato also could make his first appearance since the opener, after undergoing knee surgery and suffering a series of knocks throughout the season.
Although rotation has been a key to success, the Lions have hit the point of the season where they can’t necessarily rest their starters for midweek matches. Veterans like designated player Mauricio Pereyra and captain Luis Nani often sit out for at least one game of a three-match week, or come off the bench to rest their legs during the cramped schedule.
But with a handful of points separating the Lions from the second spot in the table and the playoff cutoff line, this could be an opportunity to push the entire roster to its full potential.
“The frequency of the games obviously is a factor that we all have at this moment with the proximity of the games, but also there is a time where you have to go for what you need,” Pareja said.
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Julia Poe at jpoe@orlandosentinel.com.
