D.C. United Scouting Report: Orlando City SC

D.C. United are making their first trip back to the Sunshine state since September 2001 on Friday night when they take on Orlando City SC. Although it is Orlando City that is the expansion club, it is perhaps D.C. that may learn the most about their club in this match.

Although Orlando City SC is technically an expansion team, their play suggests anything but. Despite being ravaged with injuries The Lions have started the season comfortably, going 1-1-2 in their first four matches. Coach Adrian Heath has the squad using their advantage in the midfield to play a very measured, efficient style.

Of course the person makes this team click on the pitch is Kaka. The 32-year old Brazilian midfielder has either scored or assisted on three of their four goals this season. He seems to bring a certain level of professionalism to a team that is still figuring out what their strengths and weaknesses are.

Watching the OCSC’s 2-2 draw with the Montreal Impact last week, it appears that he is at his best when paired up with Pedro Ribeiro in the midfield. Ribeiro, as many D.C. United supporters will recall, played for the Philadelphia Union last season. The Brazilians seemed to be able to move in concert with one another on the attacking end.

United have had trouble this off-season when attacking midfielders who actively engage their center-backs. With the injury to Steve Birnbaum (ankle,) coach Ben Olsen will likely go with Kofi Opare as Bobby Boswell’s partner in the center of the defense. Look for Orlando, and in particular Kaka, to exploit this new partnership.

Aside from Kaka and Ribeiro, the one player that may make a difference in this match for Orlando is Brek Shea. Much like with the U.S. Men’s National Team, OCSC coach Adrian Heath has been using Shea as a wing-back. In Orlando’s first match in MLS against NYCFC, Shea was a nuisance for the New York back four, making deep probing runs on the left flank and opening space up for Kaka and forward Carlos Rivas.

Left-back Taylor Kemp will need avoid getting caught on the counter-attack as Shea will be looking to score Orlando’s first goal at home.

What will be interesting to see is how Kaka’s calf injury affects his playing ability. He did practice on Thursday but has been limited all week with it. If United defense midfielder Perry Kitchen can keep up with the 2007 Ballon D’Or winner and their defense can implement the offside trap against Rivas and Cyle Larin (something NYCFC did to perfection in week one) then they may get out of Florida with some points.

The big question for this match for both teams will be on the other side of the pitch. Against Montreal last week, the Orlando back four seemed to have almost zero chemistry. While one could attribute that due to the team playing Sebastian Hines and Sean St. Ledger (two players who signed with the team just prior to the 2015 opener) it was actually center-backs Aurelien Collin who were responsible for the Impact’s second goal.

United midfielder Nick De Leon will look to disrupt the Orlando back four with diagonal runs and passes into forward Jairo Arrieta. Both Collin and goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts must be on the same page in this match and not allow De Leon to do what Jack M

If Orlando can keep D.C. United off-balance when they are on the attack then they will have a good chance of prevailing in this match. United’s patchwork attack, led by midfielder-forward Chris Rolfe and Chris Pontius, will only shoot inside of fifteen yards if they have a clear opportunity. Otherwise they will risk the long distance shot. Although they lost week to United, the Los Angeles Galaxy showed last week that by creating an arc in the defense that United’s attack can be shut down.

Orlando City are certainly doing quite well for themselves early in the 2015 season. But with a wounded Kaka and a defense still ironing out their roles United should come into this match feeling confident that they get at least a point.