Dom Dwyer is back.
And after today it feels as if he has been here all along.
Sporting purple for the first time this season, Dwyer scored two goals to lift Orlando City to its first victory of the season.
The addition of Dwyer to the starting lineup provided the team with something that was lacking in the first three matches.
“He gives us a little bit more of a true No. 9,” head coach Jason Kreis said. “We’ve been kind of playing without one for the first three matches, so to have a true target there and a true player that’s going to be in the box to finish things is real nice for us.”
That tactical view point proved to be true as the offense was ignited in a way that has not been seen this season, something the fans seemed to notice too.
Cheers of “he scores when he wants” echoed around the stadium as Dwyer netted his first goal in the 26th minute off an assist from Yoshimar Yotún.
With purple smoke erupting from the supports section, the fans and players rejoiced as the attack, led by Dwyer, clicked.
“It was important for us to put the ball in the back of the net,” Dwyer said.
The force and attack with which Dwyer approached the ball was evident throughout the entire game as he went toe to toe with several players, including former teammate Aurelien Collin, whom Dwyer played with at Sporting Kansas City from 2012-14.
“Dom is the type of player that has no fear about putting his head into things,” Kreis said. “Those type of players are extremely rare and extremely important for the way we want to play.”
That intensity and lack of fear continued into the second half as Dwyer curved the ball through two defenders, netting his second goal of the game in the 46th minute
Dwyer celebrated his second goal by brushing off crest worn proudly on his chest - not many ways to follow up a backflip.
“They feed off our energy and we feed of theirs,” Dwyer said. “They were very loud today, fantastic, and we appreciate them coming out.”
Perhaps what makes Dwyer’s comeback even more significant is that these were the first minutes he played since Oct. 22, once again showing the level of dedication that he has for this team and this fan base.
“He showed an amazing amount of commitment,” Kreis said. “I think today he threw his guts out there for us.”
But more importantly Dwyer provided Orlando with some things to celebrate; three points, a triumphant return, a home victory and a sense of excitement for Orlando City going forward.
