Concacaf Champions League: Orlando City at Cavalry FC (Round One, First Leg)
When: Wednesday, 10 p.m. ET
Where: Starlight Stadium, Victoria, BC
TV: FS2, TUDN USA
Radio: None
Here are five storylines to watch on Wednesday, when Orlando City SC faces Canadian side Cavalry FC in Round One of the Concacaf Champions Cup.
Hello, It’s Me
Orlando City SC will kick off its 2024 campaign against brand new opposition that it has never faced before, squaring off with Cavalry FC of the Canadian Premier League. This is the first time that Cavalry has qualified for the Concacaf Champions Cup, meaning it will be the Lions’ first meeting against both the team from Calgary and any team from the Canadian Premier League in the Club’s history.
Loading Up
The Lions return to 2024 with the bulk of their roster from a record-setting season in 2023 returning, including the permanent returns of Iván Angulo and Wilder Cartagena following the end of their loan periods last year. In the offseason, City added free agent midfielder Nico Lodeiro from Seattle Sounders, with a veteran resume of winning championships, Slovenian National Team defender David Brekalo from Norway’s Viking FK, as well as new Designated Player Luis Muriel from Atalanta BC.
Back in Charge
Orlando City locked up its soccer operations leaderships positions with new contracts this offseason, signing EVP of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi, Vice President of Soccer Operations Ricardo Moreira and Head Coach Oscar Pareja to new deals that will keep them in The City Beautiful through 2025. Muzzi and Pareja return to their previous roles, with Moreira earning a promotion from his previous position of Assistant General Manager.
I Would Walk 500 (2,614) Miles
Due to various circumstances, City’s away leg against Cavalry will be played on Vancouver Island at the home of Pacific FC instead of Cavalry’s home ground in Calgary. When the Lions land in British Colombia, it will serve as their first trip to the province since 2018 and their first visit to Vancouver Island in Club history. The trip also marks what could be City’s furthest trip of the year from home, with a linear distance of just over 2,614 miles from INTER&CO Stadium.
Put The Word Out There
Following a record-setting 2023 campaign, in which the Lions finished the regular season with the second-best record in Major League Soccer, Orlando City returns to the Concacaf Champions Cup (formerly known as the Concacaf Champions League) after making its debut in the competition last year. The winner of the matchup between Orlando and Cavalry will take on Tigres UANL of Liga MX, setting up a potential rematch between the Lions and Tigres from last year’s tournament.
Milestone Tracker:
- Forward Facundo Torres and midfielder César Araújo are one appearance away from 80 for the Lions across all competitions
- Forward Ramiro Enrique and midfielder Dagur Dan Thórhallsson are each one appearance away from 40 for City across all competitions
- Forward Duncan McGuire’s next start will be his 25th in purple across all competitions
