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They’re here, and they’re walking among us.

The Lions of Orlando City SC have been in town, “bonding,” well ahead of Saturday afternoon’s date with the Vancouver Whitecaps, as they hit the middle stop of their 10-day, three-game, 10,500-kilometre road trip.

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“These trips are fun,” Orlando midfielder Sacha Kljestan said Tuesday, the day before the Lions beat Miami United 3-0 in U.S. Open Cup play and then hopped aboard a charter jet to make their way west.

“When you get away for a little bit you go to a few cool cities, you usually have one or two nights on your own to get out and get some dinner and take off the Orlando City gear and put on some normal clothes and just be bonding. It’ll be good for us.”

OCSC could use some relaxation after a four-game skid has put the brakes on a season in which they bolted from the gate, going 6-2-1 including a six-game win streak. They’ve been missing the heart of their defence, their star striker, team captain and key depth players during the past four games, but, thanks to their deep-pocketed owner shelling out for their charter flight, are able to bring all their rehabbing players with them, with the hope they will heal in time for Saturday’s game.