Orlando City was welcomed into Major League Soccer with a harsh wake-up call: This league may not have the highest level of play in the world, but it's one heck of a hard league to win.
The Lions fell five points shy of their postseason goal in 2015, yet they doubled down on those aims going into Year 2.
"No excuses this time," Orlando City coach Adrian Heath said earlier this preseason. "We're fully aware of what's expected."
Or, more important, aware of what to expect.
From the grueling travel to the difficulty of certain teams on the road to the systems opponents typically play, Orlando City should be a better prepared team this season.