Oct 24, 2018
Sacha Kljestan admits season with Orlando “most frustrating of my career” div.video-js { width: 100% !important; height: 0 !important; overflow: hidden; position: relative; padding-top: 56.2%; } October 24, 20184:08PM EDT…
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Sacha Kljestan admits season with Orlando “most frustrating of my career” div.video-js { width: 100% !important; height: 0 !important; overflow: hidden; position: relative; padding-top: 56.2%; } October 24, 20184:08PM EDT…
Sacha Kljestan admits season with Orlando "most frustrating of my career"
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October 24, 20184:08PM EDT
SANFORD, Fla. – Two things run parallel for both Orlando City and Sacha Kljestan as the 2018 MLS regular season comes to an end on Decision Day presented by AT&T.
For the Lions, it’s the end of the club’s worst season in their short MLS history, that saw them off to a promising start that soon nosedived to a point of no return.
For Kljestan, playing in his first season with Orlando and after leading the league in assists the last two years as a player for the New York Red Bulls, it was the most difficult season of his career.
“Personally, I’d say it’s been the hardest, most difficult, most frustrating season of my career,” Kljestan told reporters before Wednesday’s training session. “Thirteenth year now, I think, of my career and this is the first losing season I’ve had, so it’s been very difficult to deal with.”
Orlando will miss out on the playoffs again, sitting last on the Eastern Conference table while setting a league record of 73 goals allowed entering Sunday’s match against the Red Bulls (4:30 pm ET | TV & Streaming Info).
Kljestan, who finished 2017 with a league-high 17 assists for the Red Bulls, admitted this wasn’t his best individual year after managing to record six assists for the Lions – far from his own expectations.
“I’d say on a personal level, not up to the expectations that I expect to be part of,” said Kljestan. “I think my performances were up and down this season, definitely not as consistent as they have been throughout the rest of my career.”
“And I think that can be said about everybody on the team, especially when you go through such a bad losing season like we did. I don’t think anybody can look in the mirror at the end of the season and say they had a good season.”
Kljestan, 33, said he’ll take a few weeks off after the season officially ends, adding he’ll train this offseason back home in California.
Win or lose on Sunday against his former club, the disappointment of 2018 will serve as motivation to respond a lot differently next year with Orlando.
“Every offseason that ends without a championship, my immediate thought is that I wish the preseason started in about two, three weeks from now where I could take two-to-three weeks off and get going again,” Kljestan said. “Unfortunately, we have a very long offseason, so I get really antsy and really bored, so I’ll be taking [some time] off, and I’ll start training again pretty hard out in California and just be ready to go. I think motivation becomes very big after a season like this, so next season is going to be very big not only for myself but for the entire club.”
Despite a difficult season for Kljestan professionally in Orlando, that hasn’t deterred his thoughts about living in Central Florida this year and going forward.
The midfielder credited his family, calling them his “silver lining” he gets to go home to every day after training or games.
“We really like where we live. My daughter is in a really good school,” he said. “At first, my daughter didn’t really like the heat so much… so the thing we always went back to was now you have a swimming pool. I’ve got to spend a lot of time with my kids this season, in the backyard, the pool and stuff like that. We really enjoy where we live, it’s been nice. The people of Orlando and Central Florida have been extremely welcoming to us which is really nice to us as a community.”
The Winning 11 Pick ‘Em’
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MLSsoccer.com News
Sacha Kljestan admits season with Orlando “most frustrating of my career” was originally published on 365 Football
Kljestan looking to play spoiler in Red Bulls' quest for Supporters' Shield
USA Today Sports Images October 22, 20185:07PM EDT
ORLANDO, Fla. – Making his return to Red Bull Arena for the first time since being traded last offseason, Sacha Kljestan knows what’s at stake this weekend for the New York Red Bulls.
A win against Orlando City could help the Red Bulls lift the Supporters’ Shield…
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Kljestan looking to play spoiler in Red Bulls' quest for Supporters' Shield
USA Today Sports Images
October 22, 20185:07PM EDT
ORLANDO, Fla. – Making his return to Red Bull Arena for the first time since being traded last offseason, Sacha Kljestan knows what’s at stake this weekend for the New York Red Bulls.
A win against Orlando City could help the Red Bulls lift the Supporters’ Shield for the third time.
But for Kljestan, going up against his former club, he’s focused on spoiling any type of celebration when both sides meet Sunday at Red Bull Arena as part of Decision Day presented by AT&T (4:30 pm ET | TV & streaming info).
“Yeah, yeah let’s be honest it’s not going to be very fun for me.” Kljestan told reporters following Sunday’s win against Columbus Crew SC, where he scored the winning penalty in stoppage time. “Personally, if we go up to New York and watch them win the Supporters’ Shield, honestly, I wish all my ex-teammates all the best, but I don’t want that to happen on my watch. So, yeah we’ll try to play spoilers next week.”
It’s bit of a catch-22 for Kljestan and the Lions heading into the final week of the regular season. If Orlando manage to defeat the Red Bulls on Sunday, then their rival Atlanta United would claim the Shield no matter the result of their clash against Toronto FC on Sunday.
If New York win and Atlanta don’t, the Red Bulls would claim their third Supporters’ Shield in club history, and it would be another bad result to Orlando’s disappointing season.
But that spoiler mindset played a factor into Sunday’s 2-1 victory against Crew SC, who needed a win to clinch a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, and will be playing for their Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs lives themselves on Decision Day.
Kljestan credited the effort in the win to trying to end the home slate for the season on a good note after a difficult season for Orlando.
“I think the team just showed a bit of spirit to stick in the game, to stick with it,” said Kljestan. “We tried to play spoilers against Columbus a little bit, and to reward our fans that stuck by us.”
The Winning 11 Pick ‘Em’
Who ya got on Decision Day? Pick which teams will win on MLS Decision Day 2018 presented by AT&T (Oct. 28) for a chance to win a trip to the MLS Cup 2018. It’s FREE and easy. Make your picks now!
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MLSsoccer.com News
Kljestan looking to play spoiler in Red Bulls' quest for Supporters' Shield was originally published on 365 Football
SHOT: Sacha Kljestan rips one just wide div.video-js { width: 100% !important; height: 0 !important; overflow: hidden; position: relative; padding-top: 56.2%; } October 17, 20189:15PM EDT…
SHOT: Sacha Kljestan rips one just wide
div.video-js { width: 100% !important; height: 0 !important; overflow: hidden; position: relative; padding-top: 56.2%; }
October 17, 20189:15PM EDT
Attempt missed. Sacha Kljestan (Orlando) misses to the right of the goal.
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MLSsoccer.com News
SHOT: Sacha Kljestan rips one just wide was originally published on 365 Football
SAVE: Joe Willis dives to his right to deny Sacha Kljestan
div.video-js { width: 100% !important; height: 0 !important; overflow: hidden; position: relative; padding-top: 56.2%; }
September 22, 20188:15PM EDT
Attempt saved. Sacha Kljestan (Orlando City SC) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Carlos Ascues.
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MLSsoccer.com News
SAVE: Joe Willis dives to his right to deny Sacha Kljestan was originally published on 365 Football
GOAL: Cristian Higuita finishes a one-two with Kljestan to put Orlando up div.video-js { width: 100% !important; height: 0 !important; overflow: hidden; position: relative; padding-top: 56.2%; } July 29, 201810:10PM EDT…