SANFORD, Fla. – For Dom Dwyer, Saturday’s return to Kansas City is going to be fun and special.
But looking at an even bigger picture, the Orlando City SC forward said it’s another opportunity for the Lions to get some much-needed points when they take on Sporting Kansas City at Children’s Mercy Park (8:30 pm ET | TV & streaming Info).
“It’s important for us to get some points right now, so of course I’m very excited to go back to Kansas,” Dwyer said before Thursday’s training session. “It’ll be a very fine atmosphere and a place I’m very familiar with. I’m just very excited, looking forward to it.”
Saturday will mark the first time Dwyer plays against his former club after getting traded last year to Orlando in a summer blockbuster deal for up to $1.6 million in allocation money, a groundbreaking deal in MLS at the time.
Dwyer spent six seasons and won the 2013 MLS Cup with Sporting KC, following an impressive loan stint with Orlando, in which Dwyer scored four goals to lead the Lions to the 2013 USL championship.
While Orlando has struggled for most of this season, Dwyer leads Orlando in goalscoring with 12 goals in 19 appearances this year. When asked if he’ll celebrate if he scored against SKC on Saturday, the striker was subtle in his response.
“I don’t want to go too far ahead. It’s important for us to get a result,” said Dwyer. “So, if I’m scoring goals, that’s obviously going to help us, but the main focus is to work hard in the game and if you work hard in the game, the results normally come.”
Dwyer isn’t the only former SKC player making a return to Kansas City this weekend. Oriol Rosell, who played at Sporting KC from 2012-2014, is also looking forward to playing in Kansas City again.
“It’s fun and we have great memories,” said Rosell. “We won the [2013 MLS Cup] and U.S. Open Cup in 2012, so there’s always good memories that you remember the most… so I think it’s going to be very special for me.”
While it’s going to be a special night for Rosell, he only hopes to separate the his emotions from the game.
“I always think about the opponent the same,” said Rosell. “We’re going to go there, and I’m going to do my job if I play. Hopefully, the feelings are apart."
