Thursday, July 11, 2013
DAYTON, Ohio – The Dayton Dutch Lions will host Orlando City on Sunday evening on Frank Zink Field at Miami Valley Hospital Stadium. The Dutch Lions will be looking to bounce back from consecutive losses against the Richmond Kickers and the Columbus Crew. Orlando City will be trying to maintain their hold on first place in USL PRO.
This will also be a chance for the Dutch Lions, who dropped a 0-4 decision to Orlando City in April, to draw even in the season-series. The previous match was played in Orlando, less than 24 hours after Dayton had defeated Tampa Bay in Plant City. The Dutch Lions should be rested and ready when Orlando comes calling on Sunday. Dayton is especially difficult to beat at Miami Valley Hospital Stadium, where the Dutch Lions have amassed a record of 5-2-3.
“This is a big game against Orlando City on Sunday,” said Dutch Lions Head Coach Patrick Bal. “Orlando is one of the best teams in the league. Our players are motivated and focused.”
With an overall record of 7-4-5, the Dutch Lions are in a good position to grab a playoff spot. The team expects that the recent losses are nothing more than bumps on the road to the post-season tournament. In fact, the last time that Dayton dropped two consecutive matches, the team went the next 10 games without suffering a defeat.
A level-headed Bal said, “We didn’t get overly excited about the 10-game unbeaten streak, and we’re not going to lose confidence after the last two games. If we continue to play the style of soccer that we want to play, then we’ll get the desired results.”
Orlando City is at the top of the USL PRO table with 37 points on the strength of an 11-2-4 record, but the race for the Commissioner’s Cup is tight and fiercely contested. A victory over Orlando City would put the Dutch Lions among a group of teams within striking distance of first place.
The USL PRO contest between Dayton and Orlando will be the second match in a double-header at Beavercreek High School on Sunday. The women of the Dutch Lions’ W-League team, who have already clinched first place in the Southeastern Conference, will face VSI Tampa Bay at 4:00 PM. The men will kick off against Orlando at 6:30 PM. The USL PRO team will also be participating in an international friendly against Wigan Athletic, reigning FA Cup Champions, on Tuesday, July 16 at 7:00 PM in Piqua’s Wertz Stadium. Tickets for the Wigan match can be purchased at a booth that will be set up during the Sunday double-header. Additionally, tickets for every match can always be purchased at http://www.ticketfly.com/org/1163-dayton-dutch-lions-fc/.