Orlando, Portland vie for MLS crown like no other
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — In a year like no other, this will be a championship like no other.
Orlando City and Portland will meet in the MLS is Back tournament finale Tuesday night, with the winner hoisting a trophy less than 24 hours before the league resumes its revised regular season in home markets.
It’s a strange situation, for sure, but given how the sports world unraveled and changed in 2020, it might just be a fitting end to an event that set a Guinness World Record for being the largest single-location soccer tournament. The World Cup-style format included 51 matches over 45 days at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports complex at Disney World.
The tournament nearly got derailed early, with Nashville and Dallas having to withdraw because of numerous positive COVID-19 tests, but there have been no coronavirus setbacks since. Just entertaining soccer.
Orlando and Portland emerged as the best of the bunch, both relying on staunch defense to get to the championship match.
“Defenders, sometimes, they don’t get the credit when you’re winning games,” said Orlando coach Oscar Pareja, whose team hasn’t allowed more than one goal in any tournament game. “Normally we focus on the spectacular part of the game, and that’s great. … If the team keeps defending in that manner, I think we’ll have a bigger chance to win.”
Orlando is a surprise finalist in its sixth MLS season with its fourth head coach. Pareja replaced James O’Connor after last year and has taken the Lions to new heights. Players have clearly defined roles in a scheme that plays out of the back and keep finding good results in close games.
Nani has been the offensive key. The 33-year-old Portuguese midfielder scored the winner in Orlando’s tournament opener and found the net twice in a 3-1 semifinal victory against Minnesota last week.
“You can’t say enough good things about him right now,” forward Chris Mueller said. “He’s been tremendous for all of us.”
Pareja pleaded with his players to treat the finale like any other match, knowing Portland has more experience.
The Timbers won the MLS Cup in 2015 and were runners-up two years ago.
The championship will be short-lived, with FC Dallas and Nashville resuming the regular season Wednesday night.