ORLANDO – Pedro Ribeiro is ready to make life “uncomfortable” for the visiting Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday (7:30 pm ET; TSN1) if Orlando City SC’s early-season injury epidemic at striker doesn’t ease up before the weekend.
Second-half substitute Ribeiro was instrumental in forcing the only goal of the team’s debut MLS win at Houston on Friday, charging down an attempted clearance by Tyler Deric and pressuring the Dynamo goalkeeper into slapping the loose ball into his own net.
The ex-Philadelphia Union forward was only in the game after starter Carlos Rivas pulled up with a hamstring strain, and the 6-foot-4 Ribeiro could be first choice against the Whitecaps with continued fitness doubts over Martin Paterson and Bryan Rochez.
Paterson, the Northern Ireland international, is still battling to shake off a groin injury that has sidelined him since late in preseason while young Honduran Designated Player Rochez has yet to show head coach Adrian Heath he is fully match fit after missing part of the warm-up campaign.
That leaves the Brazilian Ribeiro – nominally the team’s fourth choice – and No. 1 SuperDraft pick Cyle Larin, who has yet to appear in either of City’s games to date, as Heath’s primary striking options this week.
But the Lions coach remains confident he has enough firepower.
“We obviously hope Carlos is not too bad,” Heath said at training on Monday. “But, if he is, then it opens the door to one or two others. We’ve certainly got enough forwards to cope.
“Pedro fully deserved his chance at Houston because he’s worked so hard in training over the past few weeks, while Cyle has shown good progress in training. He’s coming to terms with the fact everything is a bit quicker and stronger, so we’re quite pleased with where we are.”
Ribeiro revealed he was thrown into the fray against the Dynamo with specific orders.
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“Coach asked me to keep them busy and make them uncomfortable on the ball,” he said. “I just tried to take the opportunity in the best way possible, and I think I did decent in the game.
“I had the chance to put pressure on the ‘keeper and just tried to force him into a bad kick. I saw his first touch was bad and thought I might get a block in. He blasted the ball onto my foot and it bounced back over his head. From there it was just a big mess, and I was just trying to make sure the ball would go in the back of the net.”
Ribeiro also stressed the environment of competition for places in Heath’s squad.
“We knew since day one, in every position, the team has put together a great group of guys,” he said. “We know not everyone is going to stay healthy but it is still going to be a tough fight to get into the 18 match-day squad, let alone on the field.”
