During a groggy hangover following the grueling MLS is Back tournament, Orlando City faces a question — now what?
After an adrenaline-filled run to the tournament final, the Lions fell to the Portland Timbers and walked away from the bubble without a trophy. The Lions did, however, earn a deep sense of confidence and external respect.
But those intangibles won’t mean much if the Lions can’t carry them into the regular season, which resumes Saturday with a road match against Inter Miami.
For coach Oscar Pareja, the tournament was simply a step in a longer journey as he molds Orlando City into a consistent championship contender.