A Lion was missing when Orlando City played its 2017 debut, beating NYCFC in front of a sold-out crowd as the club’s new stadium.
Across the Caribbean Sea in Costa Rica, centerback Tommy Redding was playing for an even more meaningful victory — a gold medal at the 2017 Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football Under-20 Championship.
It was the United States’ first U-20 CONCACAF title. Redding helped lead the squad to a 5-3 victory in penalties over Honduras after the two sides played to a 0-0 draw during Sunday’s final.