Giles Barnes lifts Orlando City out of slump with 2-0 win over D.C. United.
Despite the many new faces, young ages and constant influx of Major League Soccer players, Orlando City B has a lot of leaders this season, according to coach Anthony Pulis.
“More and stronger characters that want to win every day,” Pulis said.
Rising to the top of that pool, is goalkeeper Earl
Edwards Jr., Pulis said. Some of that has to do with his play, he’s the only one on the team to have started and played 90 minutes in each of the team’s 10 United Soccer League matches. And some of it has to do with his experience serving as Orlando City’s backup MLS keeper and learning under veterans such as
Joe Bendik and Tally Hall. In those two seasons, however, Edwards never played.
“Earl has really kind of come to the fore with the guys, being a leader and being very vocal,” Pulis said. “He’s really impressed me from that standpoint. I didn’t really see that before.
“I had a chat with him last week and told him how pleased we’ve been with him, not just on the field but the way he’s been around the group. That two years of being an MLS backup, he’s been around the environment and I think he’s now really kind of relishing that role of being our starting goalkeeper, being able to get minutes and being able to play week in and week out.”
Pulis said Edwards has helped the younger players
on the team as well. When the average age of OCB (leaving out 35-year-old captain Lewis Neal, who is eight years older than his second-oldest teammate) is 22.6 years, Edwards’ 25 years is considered elderly.
“He’s a guy who has a lot of experience with the first team and he’s getting more games this year and showing why he’s with that group,” said OCB midfielder Jordan
Schweitzer, 23. “An older guy, a good guy, a good leader, someone who brings something that this younger team doesn’t necessarily have. He’s made stops. He’s made saves, he’s kept us in games. I think he’s a leader by example. When he talks people listen. To have someone like him ... we’ve go to rally around that.”
Edwards has 29 saves this season for OCB, third in the league. He’s conceded 13 goals, four of which came in the first five games.
Edwards conceded a goal that turned out to be the game-winner for the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the season opener and then three goals during a 3-1 loss to Louisville.
He continued to have a lot of work in the beginning of the season, coming up with big saves, but Pulis said he’s performed well and led the team even in the recent games when he’s had less work in front of him.
OCB (3-4-3, 10 points) is ranked 10th in the Eastern Conference out of 15 teams.
“Early on I was rusty because I hadn’t played enough games in the first two years,” Edwards said. “As the teams grows, I find I am growing myself. I would like to think I am improving every game. I will build on and learn from previous games. Hopefully I will learn from my mistakes and be sharper in goal.”
His goal is to become a starting MLS keeper as soon as possible, he said in an interview with the Sentinel earlier this year, but he knows it will take patience and continued positive performances.
Edwards said Orlando City coach Jason Kreis and his staff did well to bring in veteran goalkeeper Josh Saunders to back up starter Bendik this season so that Edwards can play significant time and further his development with OCB.
“It is huge for me,” Edwards said. “My first two seasons were a bit frustrating as I sat on the bench. I was happy to be No. 2 on the depth chart. It was great, but the most important thing for me is to play in games.”
He doesn’t have to worry about that now.