Loss hurt, but Lions using it as motivation

The Orlando City team exiting the Disney bubble Wednesday was a different group from the one that entered it 49 days ago.

Externally, none of the changes is visible. It’s the same team, the same roster. More than half of the Lions were on the 2019 roster, a team that won only nine games on the way to a second-to-last finish in the Eastern Conference.

But during their run to the MLS is Back final match, the Lions found a new identity — both individually and as a team. And even though Orlando City fell one win short of bringing home a trophy, captain Nani said the growth shown during the tournament has bolstered a team eager to start a new chapter in 2020.

“We must accept that we are not the same team as before, and you all know that,” Nani said. “You all saw our games.

“You have seen this final. You see the way we’ve been playing. You see the way every team who plays against us behaves against us. So let’s be honest with our team.”

The 2-1 loss to Portland exposed many of the areas where Orlando City still needs to grow.

Against their greatest defensive challenge of the tournament, the Lions struggled to break down a compact low block in the back line. In moments of pressure, the team can fall into the trap of being overly reliant on stars such as Nani to possess the ball in oneon-one situations, hoping for magic rather than building through movement.

This lack of movement and creativity in the final third translated directly to a lack of chances — the Lions only put one shot on frame, which fell for their sole goal of the match.

And despite major improvement on the defensive side of the ball, the Orlando City defense fell victim to Portland’s renowned set pieces on two separate plays to allow goals.

The result was a stinging loss, one that coach Oscar Pareja says will stick with the team for a long time.

“Today, we’re not happy,” he said Tuesday night. “We’re