Orlando City Head Coach James O’Connor has been emphasizing playing the ball out of the back since his arrival, something that has become evident in the team’s play. For the majority of Saturday night’s draw with the Philadelphia Union, the Lions attempted to play goal kicks on the ground and work the ball forward through the midfield. While this tactic starts off well, it quickly falls apart.
For the first 70 minutes of Saturday night’s game, each goal kick by goalkeeper Joe Bendik was sent out to right back Scott Sutter, who was situated just outside of the box.