After parting ways with long-time head coach Oscar Pareja, Orlando City returns to action Saturday, desperate to earn its first points of the season. Martin Perelman takes charge of Orlando in his first game as interim head coach, with plenty of questions that need to be answered.
The Lions (0-3-0, 0 points) get a chance to look for those answers against CF Montreal (1-2-0, 3 points) at Inter&Co Stadium at 7:30 p.m.
“I’m not here to wait. The club doesn’t want me to be here to wait. This club deserves always, to prepare the team to win, succeed, and continue the amazing pathway we have been doing with this club,” Perelman said. “The MLS [season] is long, and we know how to do it in the regular season, and we will be ready as well for the playoff season. So again, we are here to work. We are here to make our people, our fans, our community, proud of our team and succeed.”
Perelman previously served as the head coach of Orlando City B before moving up to Orlando City as an assistant coach. His sides were known for their attacking prowess, but for the Lions, the worrying fact is that his teams also struggled defensively. He will need to set his team up properly to get forward in attack without leaving the backline exposed in order to right the ship.
A three-loss slide to start the season is the worst start in Orlando City’s MLS history, and the team has looked uncharacteristically weak at the back in the process. Defensive miscues have allowed the Lions to surrender 11 goals in the opening three matches. Perelman will need to find ways to plug those leaks at the back against a Montreal side that won 3-0 last weekend.
The good news is that Martin Ojeda and Marco Pasalic, alongside striker Duncan McGuire, will be given plenty of freedom to get forward in the attack. Montreal tends to sit back and absorb pressure, and Orlando’s talent is good enough to create gaps. Ivan Angulo’s pace will also be useful, unlocking more lanes for the Lions to get the ball into by spreading out the defense.
The task ahead for Perelman is not going to be an easy one, but the club is putting its full faith behind him as he starts his interim reign. If he can get Orlando’s defense to tighten up, the Lions stand a chance of earning their first win of the season.