MIAMI – CD Olimpia is in Miami, Florida, this week as part of its preparation for upcoming domestic and CONCACAF Champions League campaigns.
The four-time defending Honduran champion played to a goalless draw Thursday against the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the North American Soccer League in a closed-door scrimmage shortened by heavy rain.
This Sunday head coach Juan Carlos Espinoza’s team will take on Colombia’s Millonarios at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens.
The Lions have already reinforced their team for the new campaign with the return of four players: Antony Lozano, Gerson Argueta, Néstor Martínez and Luis Garrido.
Lozano comes back to Olimpia after two years in Spain with Valencia C.F.’s reserve team. The 20-year-old forward has already represented Honduras in a FIFA U-17 World Cup (2009), the Olympic Games (2012) and World Cup Qualifying for Brazil 2014.
Argueta, a goalkeeper, was with Deportes Savio, left midfielder Martínez was loaned to Vida during the 2012-13 season and midfielder Garrido spent the previous six months at Serbia’s Red Star Belgrade.
Olimpia – one of only two teams to qualify for every Champions League -- begins its quest for a fifth straight championship against Platense on August 11 at the Estadio Nacional in Tegucigalpa. Ten days later, the Lions will make their Champions League debut, when they visit Nicaragua’s Real Esteli.
