Over the past two seasons, Orlando City has created a trend of signing lower-league players that knocked the team out of the U.S. Open Cup — if two instances make a trend. Following the 2016 season, the team signed Brazilian defender PC, who scored the extra time winner for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. Last off-season, it signed Stéfano Pinho, who had netted a hat trick against the Lions for the NASL’s Miami FC.
Despite being a rookie in the country’s first division, Pinho was always going to play a key role in 2018. The club drafted Chris Mueller with its first pick of the MLS SuperDraft, but it was soon obvious that he was a better fit in the midfield.