It feels so good to be back. The long off-season has come to an end, as Orlando City hosts New York City FC this Sunday (5 p.m., ESPN). Fitting, the rematch of the 2015 opening match for both clubs will also mark the inaugural match at Orlando City Stadium, the club’s brand new 25,500-seat at the heart of downtown Orlando.
2016 was a tale of two clubs for the league’s latest pair of expansion foes. After both missed the playoffs in 2015, NYCFC fired Jason Kreis, replacing him with Patrick Vieira, and rebounded to finish second in the Eastern Conference last season — eventually falling in the conference semifinals to Toronto FC.