

Posted by

Kamal Hylton ,

June 15, 2015 Email

Kamal Hylton

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@KamalHylton

With four goals in his last six games for Orlando City SC, and the first goal in Canada’s 2-0 win over Dominica to kick off 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifying, Cyle Larin is one of the hottest in form strikers within the CONCACAF region. Seemingly reserved and humble off the pitch, the 1st overall draft pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft is showing a quiet confidence and really beginning to come into his own.



“Before the Canada game I scored for Orlando [in a 3-2 win over Chicago Fire] and I’ve been feeling good,” Larin told RedNation. “I think I’ve been playing well and I just want to keep it going, keep working hard and scoring goals.”



The Brampton, Ontario native will now be looking to carry his strong form into Tuesday evenings second leg at BMO Field, the first time he’ll be suiting up for Canada in front of family and friends. A dream since his days leading his high school team St. Edmund Campion in goals and early soccer development at Mississauga-based Sigma FC, it’s a case for Larin of everything coming full circle.



“This moment means a lot to me,” the 20-year old Larin said. “Just to play at home for the first time and hopefully score for the first time at home since I’ve been playing professionally would be special.”



“I was the same type of player [in high school] than I am now,” Larin added. “Obviously as I’ve started playing professionally and gotten better, my mentality has changed a lot, but in high school I used to score a lot of goals [leading the team in scoring his last three years]. It was a fun time there - we won a lot and had a really good team.”



Coming into Major League Soccer already making history, joining the likes of Andrew Wiggins to become the first Canadian in their sport to be drafted 1st overall, Larin finds himself in a pretty fortunate position. He has the opportunity not only to help write more history as part of an expansion franchise, but gets to do so near Disneyland and make Orlando City SC the true “Happiest Place on Earth” playing alongside Brazilian superstar midfielder Kaka.



“It’s nice and hot in Orlando,” Larin explained. “I’m enjoying it a lot, it’s a good environment with good people. I’m enjoying the football.”



“Just when I’m on the field with him [Kaka] he teaches me while the game is going on, but even off the field just watching him you can learn a lot [from how he carries himself],” the Canadian International continued. “To be playing with him I think has been good for me, especially as I work on making runs into the box and losing defenders quickly to take up good positions.”



For Canada’s sake, National Team Head Coach Benito Floro will be hoping Larin can stay in red hot form for the entirety of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying journey. Going down as the first goalscorer for a new World Cup qualifying cycle is nice, but with each passing game this looks to be only the beginning.