This Saturday, Toronto FC will try to accomplish what has been an extraordinarily difficult task in 2021 – scoring a goal against Orlando City.
The Lions have conceded just two goals in five games this season, tied with Seattle Sounders FC for the fewest goals allowed in Major League Soccer this year.
“The data says it, we have allowed just two goals,” noted Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja at his weekly press conference, “and one of them was a PK, and the other one was our own mistake in Kansas [City] when we wanted to play out of the goal and made a mistake there.”
As Papi proudly notes, the Lions have yet to concede any sort of full-field goal this year, a testament to both their organization and their individual quality on the back line. Full back Kyle Smith, center backs Rodrigo Schlegel and Antonio Carlos and goalkeeper Pedro Gallese have played all 450 minutes of the season so far, racking up three clean sheets in five matches.
“It’s something that made us feel very comfortable with the group,” said Pareja, “knowing that our defenders are getting much better, that we are closing games with more maturity...I’m glad to see the boys defending well like we did in the game in D.C.”
Orlando City allowed just one shot on target against D.C. United on Sunday, and their total of 15 shots on target allowed is the lowest in the League.
However, with Toronto they’ll be facing a team with firepower to spare. The Reds sport USMNT fixture Jozy Altidore, up-and-coming striker Ayo Akinola and recently-signed Venezuelan DP winger Yeferson Soteldo, among others.
“It’s work that has to be reevaluated every single day,” said Pareja of his team’s commitment to defending well for 90 minutes. “We have to reconfirm that we want to be strong defensively after a year where we always had the initiative.”
Solid play at the back doesn’t preclude the Lions from playing their patented possession-based style, either. “The desire to play good soccer is always there,” said Pareja. “We will be that team who are...protagonists of the game and have the good initiative to play. That’s Orlando and that’s what we have done for a year or more.”
Orlando City and Toronto FC are set to kick off at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday night at Exploria Stadium. The match, presented by OUC, will air locally on FOX35 PLUS and LionNation TV with pre-game coverage beginning at 6:30 p.m. Radio coverage will be available from 6:30 p.m. on Real Radio 104.1 FM in English and Acción 97.9 FM and 810 AM in Spanish.
