After setting the bar to new heights during a stellar MLS debut, Cyle Larin could be ready to raise it once again.
The 2015 Rookie of the Year aims for a fourth consecutive game with a goal as he leads unbeaten Orlando City SC into Sunday night's road test with the defending league champion Portland Timbers.
Larin was a runaway winner for last year's award after setting an MLS rookie record with 17 goals. The 20-year-old Canadian national team member has one in all three games this season after scoring in the seventh minute of the Lions' 1-0 victory over New York City FC on March 18.
"In these games, I get a lot of chances. That's the most important thing," Larin said. "I just need to finish them. If I finish them, hopefully I should get to 20 (goals). I think I can get there. Everyone believes I can get there. Hopefully I can."
While Larin is building off a sensational first season, his team continues to make strides after a strong finish to its inaugural campaign. Orlando City (1-0-2) enters Sunday's match with one loss over its last nine games, having ended 2015 with wins in five of the final six.
The solid start has come with Kaka sidelined by a left thigh strain. The decorated Brazilian is expected to make his season debut, providing an additional confidence boost as the Lions visit one of the league's toughest venues.
Both Kaka and Larin had goals in Orlando City's 2-0 win at Providence Park last April in the teams' lone previous meeting.
Portland (1-1-1) hasn't quite parlayed the momentum from last fall's memorable championship run during an uneven start. The Timbers allowed two first-half goals in a 2-1 loss at San Jose on March 13 and rallied from another two-goal deficit to earn a 2-all tie with Real Salt Lake in their last outing March 19.
The latter result was particularly frustrating, as the Timbers outshot Salt Lake 26-7 and played most of the match with a man advantage. Another red card led to Fanendo Adi's tying score on a penalty kick in the 84th minute.
"It seems like consolation to get the draw - we are never satisfied with that - but we do stop a conference team from getting three points on us," coach Caleb Porter said. "Last two years, the playoffs have come down to a point on the last day for most teams and to claw out a point isn't what we wanted, but under the circumstances, to come back from two goals down we will take it."
Adi had both Portland goals, giving him 11 in a 14-game stretch including last year's playoffs.
