Orlando City SC are fresh off the best season in their seven MLS campaigns but a reloading is under way as the franchise opens the season against visiting CF Montreal on Sunday afternoon.
Leading scorer Nani (10 goals in 2021) departed to play in Italy while promising youngster Facundo Torres is on board as Orlando City looks to make the postseason for the third straight season.
Torres was landed from Penarol in Uruguay for a reported $7.5 million transfer fee. The 21-year-old midfielder is expected to make an immediate impact after recording 16 goals and 15 assists in 71 matches over the past two years for the Uruguayan Primera Division club.
Torres, who has made 10 appearances for the Uruguay national team, pushed for the transfer to Orlando City.
“It took a long time, it took a lot of the will of the player. He wanted to come,” Lions general manager Luiz Muzzi recently told reporters. “He loves Penarol, there’s no doubt about that, but he made an effort to come. He felt this is the right move in his career. That was very positive.”
Torres will be looking to bolster an Orlando City squad (13-9-12, 51 points) that set franchise records for wins and points last season.
The Lions lost to Nashville SC in the first round of the playoffs last season.
Montreal (12-12-10, 46 points) fell two points shy of a playoff spot in 2021.
The club acquired defender Alistair Johnson from Nashville SC for $1 million in General Allocation Money and signed veteran forward Kei Kamara as a free agent.
Johnson, a Canadian native, made 44 appearances for Nashville over the past two seasons. The 23-year-old pumps up a Montreal defense that gave up 44 goals last season.
Kamara, 37, ranks fifth in MLS history with 130 goals. Montreal will be his ninth different MLS organization in 15 seasons, and the club is betting his legs have more life in them. Kamara played in Finland last season.
Montreal also returns forwards Romell Quioto (team-leading eight goals) and Mason Toye (seven goals), and coach Wilfried Nancy is optimistic the squad can land that elusive playoff spot.
“We need to be more efficient because last year we didn’t make the playoffs because we conceded soft goals and we missed a lot of tap-ins,” Nancy told reporters.
–Field Level Media
