Orlando City SC has loaned two of its young, developing players to United Soccer League side Saint Louis FC.
On May 24, the club announced it sent midfielders Cam Lindley and Pierre da Silva to the Anthony Pulis-led squad for one match. Saint Louis’ next match will be against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Saturday at 8 p.m.
In his first year with the Lions, Lindley has made three appearances for the Major League Soccer side, starting all three matches. The 20-year-old started City’s first two games of 2018 and also started for a 45-minute stint in a 4-3 win over the New York Red Bulls before finding a consistent spot on the sideline.
Lindley has, so far, played 201 minutes, recording two shots, conceding two fouls and earning one yellow card for Orlando City’s first team.
Before he joined Orlando City in 2018, Lindley was a top prospect in the Chicago Fire organization. Lindley was subsequently traded to the Lions for right back Rafael Ramos and $100,000 in targeted-allocation money on Jan. 18.
As for da Silva, the 19-year-old is familiar with his temporary head coach in Missouri. He played under Pulis with Orlando City B for two seasons. In total, he started 43 of his 49 appearances, recording five goals and 11 assists. da Silva’s best USL season came in 2017 when he scored a career-high three goals and led OCB in assists with seven.
At the start of the 2017 MLS season, the Port Chester, New York, native became the first player in Orlando City’s history to elevate himself from the club’s developmental academy to OCB, to the first team.
His lone MLS appearance came last season, a one-minute outing against the Philadelphia Union on March 18, 2017.
First-team head coach Jason Kreis initially said at the team’s media day on Feb. 5 that he expected the team to have a “formed partnership” with a USL team. About two weeks later on Feb. 18, Kreis said new knowledge has made the club think an exclusive partnership isn’t necessary.
Since then, the Lions have loaned down three total players: Lindley, da Silva and midfielder Tony Rocha. Rocha was sent to Saint Louis in early April and played with the USL side for less than two weeks. During his time away from Orlando, he started two matches, playing all 180 minutes.
In total, Rocha has made 12 appearances and two starts while tallying an assist for Orlando City’s MLS side since 2016.
Orlando City’s first team will host Chicago on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
For more on the Lions, as they look for their first win over Chicago since 2015, follow Victor Tan on Twitter at @NDR_VictorTan.
To contact Victor, you can email him at vtan@newdayreview.com.
