SIMA Product Andre Shinyashiki Impresses on Final Day of 2019 MLS Combine

The final day of the 2019 MLS Combine concluded today. In the first match, Team X beat Team Nemeziz, 2-1. Team X scored two first-half goals from Camden Riley and Andre Shinyashiki. Team Nemeziz got one back in the second half from the best goal of the day. Anderson Asiedu put a perfect cross into the box, and Orlando native Santiago Patino headed it home. 

In the second game of the day, Team Predator beat Team Copa 2-0. At the end of the first half, Sam Junqua put a perfect cross into the box, and Tajon Buchanan nailed the ball in stride on the volley to get the scoring underway. In the second half, Robbie Mertz doubled Team Predator’s lead. From the left side of the box, he cut to the right and his shot curled into the side netting. 

Shinyashiki is one of the players that Orlando City should be looking at. The 5-foot-9 forward was a MAC Hermann Trophy finalist this year. The native of Sao Paulo, Brazil played, and started, in all 21 games for the University of Denver, scoring 28 goals and providing four assists. His 28 goals led the NCAA men and were eight more than UCF’s Cal Jennings. 

“I think it’s hard playing with some of the players that you don’t know, but I think that there’s a lot of high-quality players,” said Shinyashiki after scoring today at Orlando City Stadium. “I was obviously able to find a goal, which is always good. I think I could have done a little bit better on the ball, but overall I thought it was a good performance.” 

In the 36th minute, Anderson Asiedu held the ball just above midfield for Team X. With the defense closing in, Asiedu found Shinyashiki on the left of the six yard box. Shinyashiki picked his head up, saw the ’keeper rushing towards him, and placed the ball into the back of the net for the eventual game-winner. 

Shinyashiki was the standout performer from the match. Aside from his goal, he was a constant threat to the opposing defenders. The forward made good runs over the top and was only called offside once. Additionally, he can operate in the midfield as a second striker or attacking midfielder. 

“[Playing in the midfield] is something I hadn’t done in a while, I didn’t play in the midfield ever at Denver, but I used to play sometimes as a second forward back in my day at Montverde, and also in Brazil. So, it took me a while to get used to, but I thought I did well. I got in spaces, I wish I didn’t turn the ball over so many times, but I thought I did well.” 

Before Denver, Shinyashiki, 21, was part of the Montverde Academy. He joined in 2013 and played two seasons, winning two national championships on the way. 

“SIMA is very important to me,” said Shinyashiki. “They really showed me what U.S. soccer looks like because it’s really different than what I did in Brazil. They really prepared me for the college experience. Some of the things I did there when I came to college I was already used to it compared to some of the players that came from the academy. I am just really happy that I went to SIMA. It helped me transition to college a lot.” 

Shinyashiki definitely has the profile of an Orlando City player — a Brazilian-born forward that went to SIMA and led the NCAA in scoring. He will take up an international spot so that could cause his draft stock to drop. If Orlando wants Shinyashiki, the Lions could most likely trade down a few spots to nab him.