Midfielder Servando Carrasco stopped short of calling it do-or-die time for Orlando City, but not by much.
After finally getting above the red line with a huge win in Montreal, the Lions now chase New England for the final playoff spot in the East. And they’re neck-and-neck with D.C. United.
It wasn’t long ago that the Lions were leading the race for sixth place. They had a chance last week to put some distance between themselves and seventh, but another last-second comeback from United and a huge win from New England dropped the Lions below the line.
They’ll soon get a chance to change that, though. A de facto six-point game looms Saturday in D.C. But it’s not the result they’re worried about.
“We have to focus on the process,” Carrasco said.
City’s stalwart defensive midfielder echoed the message preached by head coach Jason Kreis since he took over in July. Work hard. Focus on improving every day. The results will follow.
Playoff Picture: Orlando City Faces D.C. United In Crucial Matchup
“We’re being positive,” Carrasco said. “There has been growth on this team. When you look at it, it’s only been eight weeks since Jason got here so when you take that into perspective and the tactics and the workload, I think the guys have responded tremendously.”
Kreis’ message has resonated most perhaps with young defender Mikey Ambrose. The 22-year-old started the season with Orlando City B and cemented himself in OCB head coach Anthony Pulis’ starting lineup. It didn’t take long for Kreis to see why.
His speed and ability played a part, no doubt, but his work ethic showed a deeper drive. And when he joined the First Team, that work ethic gave him confidence that he could contribute at this level.
It’s the same fighting spirit that will drive the Lions down the home stretch.
“Everybody just needs to believe. That’s what [Kreis] has been stressing,” Ambrose said Tuesday after a particularly intense training session. “Keep working really hard, keep the intensity up and hopefully the results will come from this hard work.”
They’ll need that intensity to get a result in Washington. United is unbeaten in six at home and is coming off a three-game road trip that saw them steal two points in stoppage time. After D.C. is a midweek match at Toronto before the Lions come back to Orlando to host Montreal next Sunday. Two weeks later they’re in Philadelphia before coming home for what could be a winner-take-all season finale against D.C. United.
One game at a time. Because it’s amazing what one game can do.
“You look at last year, I think it was KC at home when we won 3-1,” Carrasco said. “You win that game then you go to Chicago and you win 1-0. Then we win in New York. Then we come back and beat Montreal [and NYC.]
“It was just a matter of confidence. Once you get that confidence, you have to sustain it. The one thing I’ve noticed in the past six seasons is it’s not necessarily the best team, but it’s the team that peaks at the ideal time.”
They believe in the process. They believe in what they’re doing. And they believe in each other.
“When a team gets hot, when a team gets confidence, that’s a very dangerous team to play,” Carrasco said. “We’re just going to try to be that team this year.”
