Orlando City announced the 12 players it selected for protection in the 2019 Expansion Draft on Saturday. The team protected all three of its 2019 designated players — Nani, Dom Dwyer and Mauricio Pereyra — along with rookies Santiago Patiño and Kamal Miller.
Designated player Josué Colman also made the list despite spending most of the season on loan to Cerro Porteño in Paraguay. The Lions also protected Tesho Akindele, who came in second in goal-scoring last season with 10 goals.
Although the Lions protected centerback Robin Jansson, they left off his counterpart, Lamine Sané, who served as the second pillar of the backline as the team set a record for least goals allowed in a season.