Lions feeling grateful
Team happy to help Puerto Rico recover
Orlando City players typically go their separate ways after the season ends, but this year they stuck together another week to play one last match for a good cause.
The Lions will host the Puerto Rican national team in a friendly to benefit the island at 7:30 p.m. today at Orlando City Stadium. The game will be broadcast locally in Spanish on La Nueva 990-AM and via delay at 10 p.m. by FOX Deportes.
All proceeds will go to the United for Puerto Rico fund to aid recovery efforts following hurricane devastation. Orlando City also will auction its game-worn jerseys from the match on the club’s website through 11:59 p.m. Monday.
“For me, it’s about getting the group together for one more week, enjoying each other’s company for one more week and going out and hopefully putting on a really good performance for the fans,” Orlando City coach Jason Kreis said. “We’ll go about the game with that type of spirit that
we’re looking to put on a show.”
Orlando City will honor Kaká, who announced last month he will not renew his contract, with video tributes before and after the game and at halftime. He also will be presented with a commemorative plaque before kickoff.
Kreis said he plans to use all his substitutions “liberally” in the match so that as many players as possible will get an opportunity to contribute and to play with the team captain one last time.
The club also will remember supporter Joseph Campo Jr., who died in a car accident Tuesday, with a pregame photo montage on the jumbotron.
The Puerto Rican national team arrived Tuesday and a contingent of Puerto Rico and Orlando City fans greeted them at the airport.
The visiting squad trained at the stadium leading up to tonight’s match.
“I know there’s a lot of Puerto Ricans here in Florida,” said nationalteam forward Mike Ramos, 26, a former Major League Soccer draft pick who now plays for Puerto Rico FC in the North American Soccer League. “Even if you aren’t Puerto Rican, hopefully you can come out and support. … Any proceeds toward the island are great. This is huge. This is hopefully going to raise a lot of money for the island.”
A player for Orlando City’s U -16 ⁄17 academy team, Alejandro Colón, received his first international call-up for Puerto Rico ahead of the match and will be available for selection.
But this game isn’t about the competition. Both teams just want to have fun and help those in need.
“I think it’s a moment, and there’s not enough of ’em, but it’s a moment to recognize that we have special jobs and we get to do special things,” Kreis said. “Even though you feel like you go through a whole season with so much pressure on you … when you have an opportunity to give back through what you love to do, I think it’s a sign that you’re really doing something special.”
Lions midfielder Servando Carrasco said he hopes to see a packed crowd in the 25,500-seat stadium to reflect many donations heading to island.
“We would really appreciate that and I think all the people in Puerto Rico would really appreciate that,” Carrasco said. “During times of suffering, during times of troubles, ya know, you use sports to kind of alleviate some of that pain. If we can provide an atmosphere for people to heal, for people to just come out and have a good time, then I think we’ve pretty much done our part.”