Kaká insane nutmeg in Orlando City debut

Kaká with a serious nutmeg to FC Dallas' Kyle Bekker during his Orlando City debut: 

OSJ Spotlight: Orlando City’s Redding prepared to make most of MLS debut

Photo Courtesy of Orlando City 

By Mike Gramajo 

After turning down offers from big European clubs to join Orlando City Soccer Club as their first homegrown player signing, 17-year old defender Tommy Redding is looking to continue to develop his craft, knowing his Major League Soccer debut looms within four months.

Prior to signing a homegrown player contract with Orlando City — which saw him play one year in USL Pro — Redding rejected offers from German giants FC Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. That ushered him toward a contributing role in Orlando’s final USL Pro regular season campaign.

“The biggest lesson for me as a first-year is you can’t turn off,” Redding told the OSJ. “There’s not a point in the game or your mind can just shut down. At my age you can get away from it, but professionally, you can’t get away with it, you always gotta be focus for the full 90 minutes.

“Everyone in the team taught me at least one or two things throughout the season. I just try to learn from everyone, and everyone in the team contributed into me learning something. At the beginning, I was scared to ask. I was a part of the team, but I wasn’t close to any of the guys, so it was intimidating, but as the season went by, I felt fine asking anyone.”

Redding signing his first professional contract (OSJ) 

The first-year professional began the season as a backup center back to teammates Rob Valentino and former Vancouver Whitecaps defender Brad Rusin, but eventually saw his playing time stretch as Orlando’s back line endured injuries throughout the season. When all was said and done, the Oviedo, Florida native saw his inaugural season as a professional soccer player finish with 14 games played and 1043 minutes tucked away.

However, the beginning wasn’t how he expected it to go. Towards the end of Orlando City’s preseason, Redding succumbed to a hamstring injury, which kept him out of action for nearly the first month into the USL season. It wasn’t until May 14 that saw Redding make his professional debut during U.S. Open Cup second round play when he came into the game during halftime. OCSC ultimately finished the game with an outstanding 4-1 victory over the visiting Ocala Stampede, but that was only the beginning for the Lions’ homegrown player.

“It was weird, it was long but it was short at the same time,” Redding said. “During the season it was long, but there are other points where it feels like it was short. I really enjoyed it, I think it was really a great first season for me, I think for the both of us [Tyler Turner]. I look back at myself from the beginning of the season to the end of the season, and I say ‘Wow what a difference it’s been for me’ I think he’s [Heath] such a great coach.

“The way he coaches is a little intimidating when you first get into it. But once you get used to it, and talk to him, you can talk to him about anything, he’s like a coach but also a mentor. What I like the most about him is he lets me play my soccer. I think my personal talent playing as a center back role is being able to come up and dribble out of the back, and a lot of coaches don’t feel comfortable with their center backs dribbling out of the back.

"I remember the Richmond game, and at halftime he was screaming at me, telling me ‘You have a talent to dribble around the back, so I need you to dribble through the back’ and for me that was shocking because I didn’t realize I could do it, and he pushed me and he told me to do it. I just think he’s the greatest coach I’ve had all my life.”

Following his professional debut, Redding began building momentum when he started and played the full 90 minutes during Orlando’s next league match. His partnership with United States U-18 Men’s National Team right-back Tyler Turner seemed to blossom from the moment Heath inserted the duo into the starting lineup throughout the 2014 USL Pro season, but a bond was forming with not only Turner, but the whole team in general.

“I’ve always played in teams and systems where it’s like a family,” added Redding. “When I signed my professional contract, I didn’t really believe that could happen since it was professional, that you can have the same type of feeling. As the season went on, I started realizing everyone here are like brothers and family.”

That family that Redding would echo after OCSC played their last USL Pro season, however, would take a turn toward heartbreak when he realized key players, especially those that played with him in the back line, wouldn’t be making the jump to MLS. Redding told the OSJ it was an experience he felt came at the right time that helped him grow as not only an athlete, but a person.

With dreams of one day representing the United States in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia being a far reality, another opportunity Redding said he wouldn’t turn down would be playing in the summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 with the U.S. U-23 Men’s National Team. However, he admitted that would only happen with the amount of work he puts in once the ball gets rolling in MLS.

“That’ll be really cool,” said Redding on the possibility of playing in Rio 2016. “As long as I keep working as hard as I can I have strong chance. When you have a good season anywhere as a young player, that’s a call up, it gives you an extra thing to give coach’s to look at.” 

Redding has begun his offseason training with Orlando City despite the club not having a complete squad. Redding mentioned shortly after OCSC were knocked out of the playoffs in September that he has thought about going overseas to train before Orlando City begin their preseason.

“There has been clubs [expressed interest], and I would like to go overseas in this offseason to get some training,” said Redding. “European and American clubs have expressed interest in me to train overseas or domestically, I think that’ll be a good opportunity. It will go through all of us (general manager Paul McDonough and head coach Adrian Heath), we will all have a say with a plan to move forward. Throughout my whole life my dream has been to play soccer professionally in Europe. Hopefully before my career ends, I will be able to make that dream become a reality.”

Orlando City sign Boden and Heath to MLS deals

By Mike Gramajo

Orlando City’s roster progression into Major League Soccer continued on Monday after the club announced they signed defender Luke Boden and midfielder Harrison Heath to multi-year MLS deals. 

The terms of the deal were not disclosed. 

Boden, who played four years for Orlando City in USL PRO, was linked to an MLS deal soon after the 2014 USL season came to an end. With 7,456 minutes played under head coach Adrian Heath, Boden will join fellow defenders Tyler Turner and Tommy Redding as the club looks to lock more players in the upcoming MLS Expansion Draft, set for Dec. 10. The MLS SuperDraft is set for January 15. 

“We’re delighted that Harrison and Luke have decided to remain with the Club heading into MLS,” OCSC head coach Heath said in a statement. “Moving forward, both players will be great additions to the squad.”

Harrison Heath, son of coach Heath, joined the Lions during the second part of the 2014 USL PRO season. The 18-year old spent time in Norwich City’s Academy before signing his first professional deal with OCSC this past summer. 

Midfielder Adama Mbengue is slated to sign with Orlando City, but no timetable has been given when according to an Orlando City spokesman. 

Below is the updated Orlando City MLS roster: 

VIDEO: Orlando City fans takeover downtown

Video: Orlando City bids farewell to USL PRO

Orlando City Notes: Heath talks playoffs; Woszczynski gets nod as starting goalkeeper; updates on international players and injuries

By Mike Gramajo

SANFORD, Fla. — The last time Orlando City Soccer Club went into the USL PRO playoffs as regular season champions?

2012. A year head coach Adrian Heath will always remember simply because it resulted into a shocking first-round defeat for the Lions. Heath isn’t, or letting, the past dictate Saturday’s performance when Orlando City welcomes the Harrisburg City Islanders, but constantly pinpoints back to 2012 as a lesson in defeat. 

“We didn’t approach the game and we didn’t start well, but that’s what happens when you don’t prepare properly,” Heath said on the 2012 playoff loss. “All we can do is prepare properly. That’s the message we’ve been banging home. I expect no difference on Saturday.” 

Orlando City and Harrisburg split the season series even, with both sides each having a victory both times they met. Orlando City, who have been unbeaten at home all season, have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, which is something Heath said is key heading into the postseason. 

“We’ve worked hard to get home field advantage,” Heath said. “There’s no need to throw it away. I have much faith in this group that when we do play well, we have the tools to win the game. Now we want to win the game and go on the next stage of the playoffs. 

Here’s more notes regarding OCSC’s first-round playoff match on Saturday: 

Woszczynski receives nod to be starting goalkeeper against Harrisburg

After starting the last three matches for Orlando City, Heath looks to continue starting goalkeeper Carl Woszczynski in the playoffs.

“He [Woszczynski] will start the game on Saturday,” Heath confirmed with the OSJ. 

Despite only making four appearances this season, Woszczynski has allowed one goal while recording two shutouts behind his 10 saves in 2014. 

Ceren still on international duty, likely to miss first round

In the midst of the Copa CentroAmericana, Orlando City’s Darwin Ceren will miss Saturday’s encounter vs. Harrisburg after the El Salvador national team clinched a third place matchup against Panama. 

“I think Darwin is back next week,” said Heath. “We have an arrangement that he comes back next week. I’m pleased for him, I don’t stop anybody from going to the national team because I think it’s important.”

Despite Los Guanacos already earning a 2015 Gold Cup berth, Heath expects Ceren to be back after the first round, that’s if Orlando City makes it past Harrisburg City. 

Orlando City Injury updates

With a deadly attack that has scored a combined 56 goals (most all season) in the regular season, OCSC are entering the playoffs with all three of their available strikers injury-free. 

Dennis Chin, Giuseppe Gentile and Corey Hertzog all trained with the team on Thursday morning, leaving Heath plenty of options to work with come game day. 

Hertzog recently came back from a hamstring injury, while Chin also suffered earlier in season with his hamstring. Gentile, who’s been on form as of recent, might start up front against Harrisburg after previous games showed his partnership with Kevin Molino worked wonders in Orlando’s final third. 

The only player that may not see any action on Saturday is defender Rafael Ramos, who picked up a knock earlier this week and practiced apart from the team on Thursday. Heath told the OSJ that he’s ‘50/50’ while refusing to place a timetable on his return. 

Despite only playing four games this season, the former Benfica man is eligible for the USL PRO postseason given the five-games played rule applies only to players who are on loan from MLS teams. Therefore, midfielder Ian Christianson, on loan from New York Red Bulls, is ruled out for the remainder of the USL playoffs after only making three appearances for Orlando. 

Tyler Turner, who suffered a quad injury and pulled out of the United States U-20 men's national team, trained with the team on Thursday, and could be a game-time decision after missing the last two weeks of the regular season. 

Kaka scores pivotal game-winner, leads Sao Paulo to next round of Copa Sudamericana

By Mike Gramajo

Sao Paulo FC were down 2-1 on aggregate vs. Criciuma heading into Thursday’s second leg of the Copa Sudamericana, that all changed thanks to Kaka. 

The Orlando City loanee scored the game winner in the 40th minute after the Tricolor tied the aggregate score in the 32nd minute. Paulo Henrique Ganso played the ball to an open Kaka, as he slotted the ball into the net giving the home team the advantage to navigate to the next round. 

Overall, Kaka played 77 minutes for Sao Paulo as they prepare for an away league match at Sport Recife on Sunday. Sao Paulo are currently on a six-game unbeaten streak, sitting in second place in the Brazilian Serie A, seven points away from first-placed Cruzeiro. 

Orlando City win USL PRO regular season

(Photo by Nigel Worrall)

By Mike Gramajo 

For the third time in four years, Orlando City Soccer Club are USL PRO regular season champions. 

OCSC clinched the title during a scoreless away match at Wilmington Hammerheads on Wednesday night, which navigated Orlando to 59 points (club record) in the standings with one game left to play before the playoffs. 

Orlando City host the Richmond Kickers on Saturday at the ESPN Wide World of Sports for their last game of the season. They will also honor former OCSC player Yordany ‘Gio’ Alvarez before the game after announcing his retirement from professional soccer. 

The Lions also have home advantage throughout the playoffs, which is expected to kick off on September 13. 

Report: Orlando City & Kaka agree on deal

(Getty Images)

By Mike Gramajo

It finally looks like Orlando City SC and Ricardo Kaka have finally reached a deal. 

According to a report from the Orlando Sentinel, Kaka will arrive to Orlando on Monday afternoon, and will be presented as the club’s first designated player on Tuesday in front of fans in downtown Orlando during their World Cup watch party. 

The former AC Milan midfielder will, however, will be officially introduced as a Lion on Tuesday during a press conference. And despite Orlando City not seeing MLS action until 2015, Kaka will spend six month at Brazilian club Sao Paulo FC on-loan before reporting to Orlando for MLS preseason in January. 

Kaka is heralded with having a successful career, which includes a World Cup title in 2002, UEFA Champions League trophy in 2007 with Milan and lastly a Spanish League title with Real Madrid in 2012.