MIAMI, Florida – Canadian Premier League side Cavalry FC will make their Concacaf Champions Cup debut when they face Orlando City SC of Major League Soccer (MLS) in the first leg of their 2024 Champions Cup Round One series on Wednesday night at Starlight Stadium in Langford, British Columbia.
Cavalry qualified for Concacaf competition for the first time after emerging as winners of the 2023 CPL Shield. Cavalry are just the second team from the CPL to compete in the Champions Cup, joining 2022 and 2024 participants Forge FC.
Cavalry led all CPL teams in both major categories during the 28-game season, scoring the most goals with 46 and conceding the fewest goals with just 27.
Myer Bevan led Cavalry in scoring in 2023 with 11 goals and got great support from creative playmaker Ali Musse, who had seven goals and seven assists.
Concacaf Champions Cup debut 'biggest game in club history' for Cavalry https://t.co/bpCQsbSmkt via @
— Cavalry FC (@CPLCavalryFC) February 20, 2024
Orlando City are in their second Champions Cup after debuting just a year ago in 2023. Orlando City qualified as the second-place team in the 2023 MLS Supporters Shield standings.
The Florida-based side fought valiantly in their 2023 Round of 16 series with Liga MX heavyweights and 2020 Champions Cup winners Tigres UANL, ultimately getting eliminated on the away goal tiebreaker after a 1-1 draw on aggregate.
GK Pedro Gallese was monumental for Orlando City in that series in making 17 saves over the two games, and no doubt he will be a central figure for the team once again in the 2024 edition.
Orlando City also got a big boost over the winter by bringing in veteran MF Nicolas Lodeiro, who won the 2022 Champions Cup with the Seattle Sounders. Lodeiro excels in Champions Cup competition, scoring two goals in three games in the 2018 tournament, followed by five goals and two assists in six games in 2022.
Match Officials Cavalry FC (CAN) vs Orlando City SC (USA)
REF: JUAN GABRIEL CALDERON (Costa Rica)
AR1: WILLIAM ARRIETA (Costa Rica)
AR2: HENRI PUPIRO (Nicaragua)
4TH: KEYLOR HERRERA (Costa Rica)
VAR: OSCAR MEJIA (Mexico)
VAR1: ERICK MIRANDA (Mexico)
