Orlando City vs. New York City: A Fight For the Ages?
by Chris Kimball, Orlando
Who could have guessed that the marquee match to open Major League Soccer’s bi-decennial season, the match projected across television screens from Portland to Paris, would feature a pair of freshly assembled clubs barely known to the world at large, and yet, that it would be so deliciously enticing?
In the blue corner is New York City FC, the league’s newly anointed “Evil Empire,” with their annoyingly stable finances and strangely familiar jerseys.
Missteps during the offseason made NYCFC the butt of jokes, but Jason Kreis’ expansion squad is nothing to laugh at. The likes of David Villa, Mix Diskerud, and soon Frank Lampard, will assuredly keep the Baby Blues in the Eastern Conference conversation all season.
In the purple corner is Orlando City SC; the team the USA hates to love, from the state they love to hate.
For once it isn’t hyperbole to say Orlando soccer fans have waited a lifetime for this match. After years of anticipation and (not unjustified) doubt whether this day would ever truly arrive, Orlando City SC supporters -more than 62,000 of them- will pack the refurbished Citrus Bowl on Sunday for what may feel more like a communal catharsis than a soccer match.
The lovable Lions are portrayed as the more underprivileged of the two expansion clubs, but to be fair, Kaka’s kids aren’t exactly paupers in this league. The club reached deep into its Brazilian owner’s pockets to sign their Golden Boy to the record-breaking tune of $7 million. And if the early returns are any measure, that investment could pay huge dividends. “Ricky” scored a cracker of a goal against these very same New Yorkers in last month’s preseason meeting. In some respects it was a shot heard ’round the league. Message received: don’t fall asleep on these Lions.
Unfortunately, considering the wide audience this match will deservedly attract, it will likely feature more fight than finesse. These are two teams still searching for footing following topsy-turvy preseasons.
During the early weeks of training camp the New York squad found itself jetting back and forth across the Atlantic on what amounted to a drawn out photo-op, forcing Kreis to finally admit his squad might be a bit behind schedule.
As for Orlando, in their final two tune-up matches they suffered a rainout and then a two-man down garbage game. Neither squad will exactly enter Sunday’s opener in a groove.
Though it might be short on aesthetics, the match will be brimming over with passion. These teams have much to prove, to themselves, the league, and the historically large crowd which will gather to watch. Expect both teams to come out swinging. Yellow could be the color of the day. The winner, if there is one, will be the last man standing.
