Timing just right
Dwyer, Nani ready for their 1st action of year as Orlando City gets set to resume season in tourney
It’s been nine months since Orlando City stars Nani and Dom Dwyer played a competitive soccer match. For both of the designated players, the length of that wait has only sharpened their edge.
Neither player was featured in the team’s first two matches of 2020 before the coronavirus pandemic halted play. Dwyer suffered a lower-body injury in preseason, while Nani had to serve a two-game MLS disciplinary suspension that carried over from the 2019 season.
Now, both players are healthy and eager to make a mark as the Lions open the MLS is Back Tournament against Inter Miami on Wednesday.
For new coach Oscar Pareja, the return of his designated players offers a rarity — a full, healthy roster.
“I always say that for coaches, it’s a luxury to have them all available,” Pareja said. “The seasons always present, at one time or another time, a difficulty here or there. Having Nani and Dom available is fantastic for us.”
Every player on the Orlando City roster understands the magnitude of Wednesday night. They know it’s not a regular match.
It’s the first step in the league’s attempt to return to play amid a pandemic. It’s the first meeting of two clubs who have been building a rivalry off the pitch for years.
For Orlando City, the return of two of their highest-billed players sets the stage for a team eager to prove itself on this stage.
“We need energy from everybody, we need quality from everybody,” Orlando City
defender Robin Jansson said. “To get Dom and Nani back, it’s good for us and for them. We’re going to try to put them in good situations for them to score as well. I think they are hungry, both of them, to be back and ready to go.”
Wednesday’s match will also mark a critical first step for Nani and Dwyer as they look to build on last season’s chemistry with fellow designated player Mauricio Pereyra.
The trio only played five matches together at the end of last season. During that time, Pereyra was still trying to get into match shape after he was acquired from a Russian Premier League team in the midst of its offseason.
Yet despite injury concerns for both Pereyra and Dwyer, all three attackers played some of the best football from the 2019 season while they were on the pitch together. During their five appearances together, they combined for five assists and five goals.
The support of Dwyer and Pereyra particularly helped Nani perform at his highest level. Dwyer’s presence drew away defenders, allowing the star more room to probe in the box. Pereyra, meanwhile, offered a higher quality of service through his aggressive play in the attacking half and dynamic ability to weigh line-breaking passes.
On Wednesday, the three players will look to build on that chemistry from last year. They’ll have additional attacking weapons to work off — most notably Junior Urso, who has been looking forward to playing alongside both Nani and Dwyer since he signed with the club in January.
“I waited for this moment,” Urso said. “Now, we don’t have excuses. We have all players to play, so I hope we can make good games together.”
For the Lions’ young attacking core, the return of Dwyer and Nani will also add much-needed leadership both on the pitch and from the bench.
The tournament will likely see Pareja pulling from his bench to rest exhausted players as they rebuild their endurance. This will offer valuable minutes to young players like striker Chris Mueller, second-years Benji Michel and Santiago Patiño and rookie Daryl Dike.
These attackers lack experience, but offer a wealth of talent and a variety of attacking options — Patiño is a hold-up striker, Michel can blaze past defenders, Mueller has proven his ability to net late-game goals.
These young attackers play at their highest level when they are paired with a veteran, growing their game by watching their established teammates.
“Us young guys, we look up to them and we follow their steps,” Patiño said. “How they act, how they react, how they play on the field. We learn a lot from them, and also from Mauricio and Urso, who are older than us and have already been in our feet.”
Despite rumors he might consider sitting out the tournament, Nani said his participation was never a question. Although he acknowledged the mental challenge of returning to play in such a quick turnaround from quarantine, he expressed confidence in the team’s ability to quickly build its chemistry.
Nani also echoed a sentiment shared by Pareja — he sees the tournament as an opportunity to offer relief for fans of the game.
“I have a different mind and different way to think about soccer, about everything that’s going on in the world, about myself,” Nani said.
“I always try in the difficult moments to find the motivation to keep going, thinking that life [doesn’t] stop, you must continue to live, you must continue to believe in the future. I always think if I stop now, I will not be able to continue.
“… This is life. We must continue to fight for what we want in our lives and to make a better world, better moments and better days.”