Orlando City News Release -- www.orlandocitysoccer.com
Friday, April 1, 2011
ORLANDO, Fla. - Orlando City kicks off the 2011 USL PRO season tomorrow at Richmond City Stadium in Richmond, Virginia, against American Division rivals the Richmond Kickers. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m.
“I expect it to be a very difficult game, if not one of our most difficult games of the season,” said Head Coach Adrian Heath. “[Richmond] are traditionally very strong at home.”
Last season, the Kickers were the runners-up in the USL Second Division title game. They lost to the Charleston Battery, another American Division rival. Orlando City midfielder and assistant coach Ian Fuller scored the game-winning goal for Charleston in the championship game.
The Kickers finished the preseason 4-0-0, including a win over last season’s USSF Division 2-Pro League runner-up, the Carolina Railhawks. One player that stands out for the Kickers is offseason acquisition Stanley Nyazamba.
“He’s a very athletic, very dynamic player,” said Heath. “It’ll be interesting to see where he plays because he plays three or four different positions. He’s an athletic player.”
A player to watch for Orlando City is midfielder Jamie Watson. After being injured early in the preseason, Watson rebounded in his last two matches to score two goals. Watson has been named one of Soccer America’s “Ten Players to Watch” for the 2011 USL PRO season.
“Anything less than a very good performance, I don’t think, will be enough for us to get a result,” said Heath. “We expect a really physical game.”
Orlando City projected starting line-up (unofficial)
GK – Miguel Gallardo
RB – Mechack Jerome, CB – Wes Allen, CB – Rob Valentino, LB – Jack Traynor
RM – Jamie Watson, CM – Yordany Alvarez, CM – Ian Fuller, LM – Lewis Neal
FW – Maxwell Griffin, FW – Devorn Jorsling
Available subs
Sean Kelley, Dennis Chin, Demar Stewart, Erik Ustruck, Lawrence Olum