Orlando City’s U17/U18 Academy Development squad has made it to the knockout round of the Development Academy Playoffs for the first time in history. And on Friday night, they will look to keep that narrative going when they face off against the Colorado Rapids Development Academy at Orlando City Stadium.

Orlando City come into this match on a seven game winning streak, having won fourteen of their last fifteen matches. Their last match was a must-win against the Indiana Fire, and thanks to goals from David Loera and Raul Aguilera, they were able to overwhelm the home crowd and win their group.

“From day one, especially this year, the competitiveness is through the roof,” Aguilera said. “The lineups can always change because we are so versatile and we have a lot of depth on the team, and I think that’s a good thing for us as individuals and as a team, collectively. It gives us an extra motive to work hard at training and prove that we should be in the starting lineup because really no one has that starting spot secured so it has to be battled through every week.”

They come into the competition with the No. 2 seed in the nation. But they aren’t arrogant about their position. Anyone can rise or fall in any given game, and they know that they will have to give it their all to continue to find success.

“We knew, and everyone knows, that going into playoffs you can be the highest seed team and you can get knocked out by lowest seed team,” Loera said. “Everyone goes there with it in their mind that they want to win and it’s just three games that you have to really play, really hard, the best you’ve played throughout the season. It’s competitive.”

For many of the Academy players, the ultimate goal is to make the MLS squad. This offseason, that vision became obtainable when Pierre da Silva-- who came up through the Academy and Orlando City B-- signed an MLS contract. Doing well in the playoffs could be just what these players need to catch the attention of the USL and MLS sides.

“My career goal has always been to play professional,” Aguilera said. “Hopefully, one day, with this club. I think that would be really special, someday play in this stadium and rep this crest.”

Orlando City will play the Colorado Rapids on Friday, July 7th at 6:00pm at Orlando City Stadium. Admission is free, but you must register that you are coming through this link.