Orlando City notched a resounding 3-1 win over New York City FC on Tuesday, earning a spot in the knockout stage of the MLS is Back Tournament. Here are three things we learned from the win:
The midfield saw the most change in the offseason, both in personnel turnover and in coach Oscar Pareja’s expectations for the unit. Coming off a long break, the midfield needed minutes on the pitch together to begin rebuilding chemistry.
The group showed significant progress Tuesday night. Midfielder Júnior Urso noted the team’s ability to dominate NYCFC through the middle of the pitch, both on the attacking side and in breaking up attempted transitions.