Striker Aiás medically cleared to join Lions
Nearly two months after he was first signed by Orlando City, striker Matheus Aiás was medically cleared to participate in team activities Friday.
The striker joined his teammates for training on Friday. He will be available to participate in Sunday’s match in New York against the Red Bulls as the Lions push to clinch a spot in the MLS playoffs for the first time in club history.
Aiás will offer muchneeded support for the striker unit. Designated player Dom Dwyer is out for the season with a knee injury incurred during the MLS is Back Tournament while veteran Tesho Akindele has been sidelined since September with an unspecified injury.
These injuries left rookie Daryl Dike as the only available striker to play at the
No. 9 spot. The No. 9 position is a specific type of forward who provides a target for wingers and midfielders to play into on the attack. Other attackers like Chris Mueller, Benji Michel and Nani provide a high volume of goal scoring, but their creative style is utilized on the wing rather than at the top of the attack.
With Aiás now available, the Lions won’t have to rely solely on their rookie draft pick.
The Lions initially signed the striker on Aug. 21, but the process of getting him onto the field in Orlando has taken longer than the club expected. At the time when he was signed, Aiás’ arrival was seen as an immediate and necessary relief following Dwyer’s surgery on Aug. 1.
Instead, it took a month to process Aiás’ paperwork and bring him to Florida. After completing his mandatory 10-day quarantine, the striker still wasn’t approved to train or play. It is unclear whether the holdup in this medical clearance occurred at the club or league level.
Now, 56 days later, Aiás is finally available to play for the Lions.
Aiás was a long-time target for Lions vice president of soccer operations Luiz Muzzi, who described the 23-year-old Brazilian as “one of those guys that if he has the chance, he’ll pull the trigger.” During the past two years in the Spanish Segundo División, Aiás netted 23 goals for Mirandés, six of which came in the highly competitive Copa Del Rey.
During a Friday press conference before Aiás’ clearance was announced, coach Oscar Pareja said he hoped to play Aiás on Sunday against the Red Bulls if he were made available.