There’s no denying the importance of Orlando City’s match Sunday.
The New England Revolution come into Camping World Stadium sitting three points ahead of City for the sixth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot. But Sunday will mark yet another milestone in the Club’s history: Jason Kreis’ first MLS game as the Lions’ head coach.
Kreis was brought aboard on July 19 before the team’s game at Columbus. Then-interim head coach Bobby Murphy coached the Lions in that game to keep some semblance of continuity before Kreis actually took the reigns Monday.
“We’ve had two real training sessions, one tactical session and a game since the first day we’ve come in,” Kreis said.
The majority of the work has been on the defensive side of the ball, where Kreis said he saw improvement in the game against Stoke City.
“The particular things that we were looking for, we actually seemed really positive so we’ll look to continue to build,” he said.
But what he’s been most pleased with has been the players’ intensity on the training grounds. They’re fighting for spots in the starting XI, about which Kreis hasn’t given away any clues.
It’ll be the last game of a three-game season series against the Revs that’s seen some wild finishes. The Lions took a stoppage-time lead on April 17 before a penalty kick four minutes later made it a 2-2 draw in Orlando. Two weeks later in Foxborough, Carlos Rivas bagged his first career MLS goal in the 90th minute to secure another 2-2 draw.
Tickets | Orlando City vs. New England Revolution
The rubber match holds huge implications.
Win and Orlando City jumps above the red line and pulls within three points of Montreal. But Kreis “is a person that doesn’t believe in thinking about results. I’m a person that thinks we ought to be thinking about all of the details that go into positive performances,” he said Friday.
It’s in line with what he’s said from the beginning – that he has a long-term plan for the team. But implementing his system and getting everyone on the same page will have an immediate impact. With the season nearing crunch time and the playoffs still very much a possibility, the quicker that can happen the better.
“I believe if we do our best with all of those details, the results will follow.”
There’s one more milestone that comes with Kreis’ first game as the Lions’ coach: his first game at home.
For those that (somehow) don’t remember, over 62,000 fans packed the Citrus Bowl for City’s first MLS game against Kreis’ NYCFC squad. The sea of purple made an impact.
“[The crowd] was a major contributing factor to the decision to come here,” Kreis said. “The fact that the crowds here are so fantastic and the fact that the crowds here are so rowdy… I want to be a part of that. I want to be a part of the community that celebrates this team.”
