CHAPTER 1 A MEMORABLE OPENER After 14 minutes of scoreless play Cyle Larin made his move Orlando City Soccer Club SC teammate Giles Barnes launched an arcing pass across the penalty area With a short leap and a flick of his neck Larin headed the ball down and underneath diving New York City Football Club NYCFC goalkeeper Sean Johnson The ball bounced off the turf and into the net Just like that the striker had given his team a 1 0 lead truly born Orlando City had joined Major League Soccer MLS in 2015 But it was on this day March 5 2017 that the team was The club had spent its first two MLS seasons playing in the Citrus Bowl Though the team nicknamed the Lions The Lions counted on Cyle Larin to make big plays for them and he usually came through 4
Larin center used his head to score the first goal in Orlando City’s new stadium routinely packed the stadium the Citrus Bowl was never truly home It was an older stadium that had been designed for American football Lions fans were counting down the days until they could have a home all their own Finally on this day the wait was over Orlando City Stadium built specifically for soccer was ready Fittingly Orlando City opened the stadium against NYCFC The teams had joined MLS together in 2015 And also fittingly 6
Larin proved to be the hero The young forward had become a fan favorite after setting an MLS rookie record with 17 goals in 2015 Then he did it again scoring the early go-ahead goal in the 2017 opener at the new stadium Larin ran to the corner flag to celebrate in front of the Orlando City supporters section as his purple-clad teammates mobbed him The sellout crowd WHY THE LIONS Orlando City SC adopted its nickname as a way to honor the tradition of soccer in the region In the 1980s and 90s teams called the Orlando Lions competed at a variety of professional and amateur levels The current team’s mascot is a bulked-up lion named Kingston The club’s crest also features a lion’s head of 25,527 roared in celebration of the first goal in the new stadium Orlando’s journey to this moment had taken several years The team and its fans gladly took the time to enjoy it to the fullest NOT DONE YET The game was far from over however The Lions had to hold off NYCFC at least another 75 minutes before they could claim victory And they would have to do it without their captain Kaká He had to be subbed out early due to a hamstring injury However his replacement was Barnes who set up the first goal 7
