High-Flying Orlando City Take on the Struggling Rapids by Chris Brown
Saturday afternoon sees the top team in the Eastern Conference take on the bottom team in the Western Conference as Colorado Rapids travel to Florida to take on Cyle Larin and Orlando City SC.
Orlando City have been one of the surprise outfits early in the 2017 MLS season as the Lions currently sit on top of the Eastern Conference standings with 15 points after failing to make the playoffs in 2016. Orlando have won all four of their home games in their first season in Orlando City Stadium and have only lost one of their first six matches.
Orlando and Colorado met once in 2016 when the two sides battled to a 0-0 draw in Denver. (Photo Credit: Corbin Elliott)
Colorado have had a nightmarish start to their 2017 campaign after they went all the way to the Western Conference Finals last season and currently sit on just four points from their opening six matches. The Rapids only win of the season was a 1-0 win over New England Revolution on opening day. Last weekend Colorado lost 1-0 to Minnesota United FC in a match that saw Colorado fail to capitalize on chances created. Injuries, suspensions and a puzzling trade have left Colorado disjointed and flat with last season’s stout defense looking fragile and lacking confidence.
For an in-depth look at what’s going wrong in Colorado check out this article.
The last time these two teams met was August 20th of last year when Orlando traveled to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park and the two sides split the points as neither team found the back of the net. Saturday’s meeting will only be the third ever meeting between the two clubs.
Cyle Larin is very much the man in form for the Lions and has scored six goals through the first six games. Four of those goals were match-winners and Larin’s physicality has given defenders fits in the Canadian forward’s third season in MLS. Giles Barnes and Carlos Rivas have also looked good early in the season for Orlando and the combination between Barnes and Rivas in midfield and Larin playing up front is a very intimidating attacking lineup.
Bobby Burling played well against Cyle Larin last time the two sides met and should be in the lineup again on Saturday. (Photo Credit: Corbin Elliott)
Orlando Head Coach Jason Kreis may also be able to play MLS’ highest paid player this weekend as Kaka returned to training after injuring his hamstring in Orlando’s first match of the season. Kaka may not be fit enough to go the full 90 minutes, but even off the bench Kaka has the quality to have a major impact as a sub.
Tim Howard is serving the third and final game of the suspension he picked up during Colorado’s 3-0 loss to Sporting Kansas City, but Pablo Mastroeni will be relieved to have Jared Watts back after the defender missed last match for picking up a Red Card against Real Salt Lake. Mastroeni has played Kortne Ford, a selection in this year MLS SuperDraft, at center-back in the absence of Axel Sjoberg who is still out with a torn hamstring but Ford is suspended for the upcoming match. Offseason signing Nana Boateng is out with a back fracture and Dillon Powers should get the start in Boateng’s place.
Watts should play alongside Bobby Burling in defense and Burling may be a better choice than Ford for this match as Burling is better equipped to deal with the physical play of Cyle Larin.
Shkelzen Gashi and new Rapid Mohammed Saeid could finally get on the pitch, a big boost for the Rapid attack. (Photo Credit: Corbin Elliott)
Shkelzen Gashi may be available for selection as well as the winger continues to battle a nagging Achilles injury that has hampered the Albanian International since last summer. Mohammed Saeid played in the number ten role against Minnesota United last weekend and having a runner like Gashi on the wing would be a definite boost to the Rapids offense.
Colorado are in desperate need of a win and Pablo Mastroeni gave every indication this week that his plan is to attack from the outset. If Colorado get an early goal it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Rapids park the bus and try to grind out a win. That’s the recipe that took the Rapids deep into the playoffs last year and is the teams automatic default setting.
If Orlando grab an early goal the game should open up and it would be surprising not to see Orlando add to their lead as Colorado is forced to attack. With Cyle Larin is sparkling form it’s difficult to imagine the forward not scoring against a defense that has looked vulnerable early this season.
Orlando City
Colorado Rapids
