Orlando City names Moreira new head of scouting.
Orlando City SC has named Ricardo Moreira the club’s new director of scouting.
Moreira was most recently the head of player recruitment and the international relations manager at Columbus Crew SC. He also used to be the scouting director for Brazil’s Gremio Osasco Audax Esporte Clube. Moreira will report directly to General Manager Niki Buldalic and “will support all player relations and recruitment matters for Orlando City,” according to the club.
According to Or- lando City SC, Moreira was also part of a team that negotiated the naming rights deal for Allianz Parque in São Paulo and has provided legal advice regarding contracts and FIFA regulations for different organizations in Brazil.
Budalic led the search for a scouting director and said in an interview with Pro Soccer USA that hiring a scouting director was about having a more comprehensive and complete scouting structure.
Moreira holds a law degree from the Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie in São Paulo and an MBA in sports management from the Fundacão Getúlio Vargas in Rio de Janeiro. Moreira also went to Towson University in Maryland. Sané sits: Centerback Lamine Sané — a marquee signing in the offseason — was sidelined for Orlando City’s final match of the season against the New York Bulls Sunday.
He suffered a knee injury during pregame warmups and was a late scratch for the Lions. He was replaced by centerback Chris Schuler.
Sané, Orlando City’s third-highest paid player, played in just 16 matches this season. He dealt with knee and quad injuries throughout the year.
“He tried [Saturday],” O’Connor said. “He was fine Saturday. He came in from the warmup saying that he had some kind of pain in his knee and he wasn’t able to play. For us, it was a surprise.
“Obviously, we had to make a change. We were fortunate that we hadn’t actually gone and used up a sub. We were fortunate we were able to change that before the game actually started.”
Big save: Despite the 1-0 loss to the Red Bulls Sunday, Orlando City goalkeeper Adam Grinwis had a solid performance.
Grinwis had three saves, including a penalty kick save in the 15th minute to keep the match scoreless in the first half. Derrick Etienne Jr. stepped up to take the penalty for the Red Bulls, and midfielder Sacha Kjlestan — a former Red Bulls star — waved at Grinwis, then pointed in the direction he thought Etienne was going to shoot.
Kljestan’s prediction was right, Grinwis made the save and Orlando City remained in the match.
“I think it’s important,” O’Connor said. “I think [goalkeeper coach] Thabane [Sutu] was shouting, as well. I know Thabane has watched [Etienne] as well. It was great to see Adam take it. Pleased that Sacha’s trying to share and give some experience and help.”
Season leaders: Striker Dom Dwyer ended the year with a team-high 13 goals, including four game-winners.
Midfielder Yoshimar Yotún finished the year with 10 assists, with rookie Chris Mueller behind him (7). Two-time MLS assist king Kljestan ended the year with six assists.
Dwyer took a team-high 78 shots. Kljestan was a distant second with 48 shots. Justin Meram, who in August was traded back to the Crew, was third on the team with 41 shots. No one else on the team took more than 40.
Grinwis posted the best save percentage (70 percent) among the three Orlando City goalkeepers who played this season, but he faced the fewest shots (20) and only started five matches. Joe Bendik and Earl Edwards both had save percentages in the upper 50s.