Toia earns three-year contract extension
Donny Toia joined Orlando City via trade in December, entering the final year of his contract at the time.
He entered preseason not quite as fit as he needed to be, but eventually won the starting role at left back for the Lions. The club signed Toia to a new three-year contract with options on Thursday, after he contributed 90 minutes in each of Orlando City’s back-to-back wins to open the 2017 Major League Soccer season.
“Given he was in the last year of his contract, securing Donny to a new contract was an offseason priority for us,” Lions general manager Niki Budalic said. “His experience, versatility and work ethic are important assets that will help solidify our backline. He’s come in and had an immediate impact, and we look forward to his contributions over the long-term.”
Toia, 24, already wanted to leave the Montreal Impact for a club closer to home when the Atlanta United FC took him first in the 2016 MLS Expansion Draft. He then was traded to Orlando in exchange for the Lion’s natural first-round pick in the 2017 SuperDraft.
Prior to the trade, he’d made 71 starts and 79 total MLS appearances with Chivas USA and the Montreal Impact since debuting in 2014. His professional career began a year earlier when he became the first Homegrown player signed by Real Salt Lake, coached by Kreis at the time.
Toia is capable of playing both left and right back, and featured in both positions during the Lions’ preseason scrimmages. He mostly played behind Victor “PC” Giro, however, until just before the opening match March 5, which Orlando City won 1-0 over New York City FC.
Toia also started in last week’s 2-1 victory against the Philadelphia Union at Orlando City Stadium.
Toia joins defenders Jonathan Spector, José Aja and Scott Sutter, who all were brought in to help strengthen a defensive line that floundered last season.
When Orlando City returned to training this week after a few days off, many players were missing.
They were training with the club’s United Soccer League team, Orlando City B, instead. OCB kicks off the 2017 USL season on the road at 7:30 p.m. Saturday against the Tampa Bay Rowdies.
“Yea, we have that match, and again, it’s an opportunity for us to get guys a full match, who haven’t had that opportunity since preseason,” Lions head coach Jason Kreis told the Orlando Sentinel. “It’s important to get those guys minutes and evaluate them and see who can help us.”
Among those absent from MLS training were right back Kevin Alston, who also saw playing time with the B team during a preseason match last weekend as he continues recovering from a hamstring injury, UCF product Hadji Barry, 18-year-old Pierre Da Silva, centerbacks Tommy Redding and Conor Donovan, midfielder/forward Richie Laryea, striker Danny Deakin, goalkeepers Earl Edwards Jr., and Mason Stajduhar, and “PC” Giro.
Orlando City’s MLS side is in the middle of a 13-day break in competition during a FIFA international window. The U.S. men’s national team plays a World Cup qualifier against Honduras at 10:30 p.m. today in San Jose, Calif., and another in Panama at 10 p.m. Tuesday.
The Lions’ next match is on the road against the Columbus Crew at 4 p.m. April 1.
“The team recovers with this time, but, also, we continue working very hard,” Lions midfielder Matias Pérez García said through a translator. “They gave us some free days, some off days early in the week, but now that we’re back, we’re focused mainly on just recovering our bodies and focusing on the game against Columbus.” defender Victor