ORLANDO – Orlando City has sent goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar on loan to New York City FC for the duration of the CONCACAF Champions League tournament the team announced on Monday.
The loan for Stajduhar will only be for the continental tournament and he will return to the Lions immediately after the tournament ends for NYCFC. It could allow for Stajduhar to make his first appearance in a competitive game for an MLS team as he has yet to make his debut for Orlando.
With the remainder of the tournament to be played at City’s Exploria Stadium it made it an easy option for the Cityzens to pick up an Orlando net-minder to give cover for the open position in their line-up and help the NYC fans breathe easier.
That gap in the squad was created when starting keeper Sean Johnson was unable to make the trip to Orlando for COVID related reasons. The goalkeeper had come too close to another player who tested positive and as such the safety protocols deemed him ineligible.
Three New York players tested positive in recent days, which not only forced a shuffle of the squad but also necessitated travel arrangements being changed. The team only arrived in Orlando on Tuesday, just hours before its quarter-final match.
It’s going to be a tough ask for NYCFC, 1-0 down after the first leg in March, and coming back to a venue that will give them nightmares, home of their infamous 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs loss.
New York will face Mexican side Tigres in the quarter-final at 10pm on Tuesday night with Stadjuhar expected to start on the bench for the Cityzens.
Photo: Orlando City SC
Florida Soccer Report 