2013 Orlando City Schedule Released
Major League Soccer Integration In USL PRO Beginning In 2013
The USL PRO released their 2013 schedule today, with Orlando City opening up the regular season on the road against new USL PRO franchise Phoenix FC on April 7 and play its first home match on Sunday, April 14, vs. the Rochester Rhinos. The Lions will also play a home-and-away series against the Seattle Sounders Reserves in the 2013 regular season.
The USL/Major League Soccer (MLS) agreement announced yesterday has given MLS franchises the opportunity to pair up with an existing USL team in 2013. Orlando became the first USL PRO team to announce an affiliation, partnering with Sporting Kansas City for the 2013 and 2014 seasons. Kansas City will be sending a minimum of four players to the Lions to gain playing time.
Other features of the schedule include a rematch of the 2012 USL PRO Semifinal vs. the Wilmington Hammerheads on May 25 at the Citrus Bowl, away against new cross-state USL PRO franchise VSI Tampa on August 4 and visiting the Sounders Reserves in Seattle at the Starfire Sports Complex on May 12. The club also plays host to Seattle on August 11. The two matches against Seattle will count toward the USL PRO standings and MLS Reserve standings, respectively, in 2013. City also plans to hold international friendlies in the June and July area, with announcements to be made on specific opponents later on in the year.
The 2013 USL PRO Playoffs will include the top eight finishers in the table, with the quarterfinals (No. 1 vs. No. 8, No. 2 vs. No. 7, etc.) set for the weekend of August 23-25. The semifinals featuring the four remaining teams will be played the following weekend, with the 2013 USL PRO Championship set for the weekend of September 6-8. All playoff rounds feature a single-game knockout format and teams will not be re-seeded following each round.
The Lions officially kick off the 2013 preseason at the Disney Pro Soccer Classic on February 9th. Orlando will play against MLS sides Philadelphia Union, Toronto FC and Columbus Crew. The team continues its preseason in the first ever “I-4 Derby”, a home-and-away series against 2012 NASL Champion Tampa Bay Rowdies on March 9 and 30.
City has begun a regular training schedule, practicing at the team’s facility in Sanford at the Seminole Soccer Complex.
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