I wanted to show you all something. This is the seat map as of 3pm EDT today. Ticket sales are shockingly robust for a Sunday match. There are some open spaces on the normal east side, but the Plaza Level on the South End is sold out. They've begun opening the Plaza Level on the west side. It's looking like we're pushing 35,000 as we speak. The team's got to get up for this crowd.
I was really surprised looking at the seat map earlier. However, this game does have some benefits versus the last two games. Friday night and quick turnaround hurt sales for game 2 and then game 3 was a tough sell being played at 8pm on a sunday. I think the sales show some pent-up demand. Anyhow - excited to see a full complement of players this weekend. Hope the team can get back on track. Thinking Nocerino goes to the bench for this one.
Also basketball season is over, and it isn't right on the heels of the big opening day event. This was also one of the games you were allowed to choose for the Four Pack for sale in the preseason. But I think time during the week is the largest factor.
For comparison, our first home match post-Magic last season was 4/30 against Toronto. That was a Thursday match, and we drew 30,908.
I think I'd rather have a boring uneventful 1-1 draw over the dumpster fire that became. In terms of result, it was just. The PK call at the end was BS, but Molino did have a handball before his goal upon further review. So how we got to that result is still incredibly distasteful.
http://www.socceramerica.com/article/68483/what-theyre-saying-adrian-heath.html?edition=15455 Orlando City coach Adrian Heath, who has been critical of MLS refereeing in recent weeks, suggesting the league import veteran referees from Europe "to help these guys.”
I was surprised to see this team draw yet again in a match that featured goals given up thanks in large part to shocking defending. On the bright side Mateos' ball playing out of the back was superb and the team as a whole has plenty of fight in them, though we've come to expect that.