After hosting home games last season at a college in Melbourne, Fla., Orlando City B will move its 2017 base to Orlando City SC’s new Major League Soccer stadium, the club announced this week.
The decision puts Louisville City FC in line to visit the Lions’ 25,000-seat facility, which will boast a canopied roof to keep noise and natural grass pitch. LouCity and Orlando City B met three times last season — twice at Slugger Field and once in Florida.
The downtown Orlando stadium is now set to become the only one in the country serving as a permanent home to MLS, USL and National Women’s Soccer League squads.
Additionally this week, OCB announced three additions to its defense headed by former New York Red Bulls II standout Zach Carroll, an All-USL Second Team selection who appeared in 28 games for the league champions. Other newcomers are former Richmond Kickers defender Scott Thomsen and Fernando Timbó, who spent last season with the Ottawa Fury.
Young Steel on the upswing
While Bethlehem Steel FC failed to make the USL Cup Playoffs last season in its first campaign, the lineup saw a drastic shift toward younger players late in the year. In an interview with the league’s communications staff, coach Brendan Burke said he’s optimistic because of it.
“The hope is now that the production that we did get from all of those guys under the age of 24 will jump up in a significant way in 2017,” Burke said. “They know what it is about now and soon it will be time to show that we all grew a bit through last year’s experiences.”
Among the Steel’s standouts is Mark McKenzie, who played for the U.S. U16 National Team, as well as U.S. U18 National Team members Matthew Real and Anthony Fontana. The latter two both made appearances in Bethlehem’s final game of 2016.
New name for Arizona United
The USL club previously known as Arizona United announced a re-brand this week to Phoenix Rising FC and plans to build a 15.8-acre soccer-specific training and stadium facility. Phoenix Rising plans to kick off the 2017 season there.
“We are thrilled to announce this new era for professional soccer in Arizona,” said Phoenix Rising FC Governor Berke Bakay. “These planned investments should serve as proof that we are serious about creating a successful soccer franchise in our state. We seek to prove that the Valley of the Sun can deliver a successful United Soccer League team and eventually compete at the highest levels of soccer.
Phoenix Rising FC’s ownership includes multi-platinum recording artist Diplo and Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz, as well as veteran Major League Baseball pitcher Brandon McCarthy.
Kelly shifting to new club
The USL’s all-time leading scorer, Dane Kelly, is on the move from the Western Conference champion Swope Park Rangers to a new club in 2017. But which will he choose? The USL introduced a “Free Agent Watch” for Kelly, a 25-year-old native of Jamaica who has spent the majority of his professional career with the Charleston Battery.
The league didn’t point Kelly to LouCity but did suggest he could return to any of three Eastern Conference rivals: the Battery, Rochester Rhinos or Bethlehem Steel FC.
“There’s always a risk in returning to a former club to try and reclaim old glories, but after just a season away it could make sense for the Battery and Kelly to reunite in 2017,” the league’s Nicholas Murray wrote. “While Charleston certainly found a good replacement with their loan of Romario Williams from the Montreal Impact this past season, Kelly’s three double-digit goal seasons for the Battery could make this appealing for the side, and he would likely be welcomed as a returning hero by Charleston’s supporters.”
