2020 Orlando City Season in Review: Kamal Miller

Kamal Miller came to Orlando City via the 2019 MLS SuperDraft, as the third pick in the second round, and the 27th pick overall. He played in 16 games for the team last season as a center back, left center back, and left back, showing plenty of versatility in the process. It was unclear how much he would feature this year with Joao Moutinho being the preferred left back, but the young Canadian ended up having plenty to contribute in his second year as a professional.

Statistical Breakdown

Miller appeared in 12 regular season games this year, starting nine of them and recording 805 minutes. He also appeared in both of the Lions’ postseason games, starting one of them and logging 121 minutes. He did not score or assist on a goal, took four shots (none on target), made 19 tackles, made 28 clearances, and had four blocks and 13 successful dribbles. He also passed the ball at an 84% rate.

Best Game

Kamal’s best match came in the 0-0 draw on the road against Atlanta United back in October. That match saw Miller record four tackles, five interceptions, two clearances, and three successful dribbles while also committing one foul that earned him a yellow card. He passed at an 86.7% rate while attempting 75 passes, and did well to help keep Brooks Lennon under control all night. For that performance he earned a 7/10 from our own David Rohe, with only Andres Perea getting a better rating with a 7.5/10.

2020 Final Grade

While he played a limited number of games and minutes this year, Miller stepped up ably when he was called upon, especially in games where the Lions either had players missing through injury, or had someone sent off. He might have started his season slowly, and may not have wowed as much as either of Orlando’s starting fullbacks, but he grew into the season very well once he started getting more minutes, and displayed a knack for being able to beat his man off the dribble. His grade for the year as voted on by The Mane Land staff is a 5.5 out of 10, which is exactly the same as what he got last year

2021 Outlook

Kamal had his option exercised by the club, so he’ll be back next season for his third year as a professional. He’ll continue to try to break into the starting lineup, although that may be difficult with the likes of Moutinho ahead of him at left fullback and Kyle Smith getting some play there as well. However, his versatility means that he’s an excellent option to have on the bench, especially if Moutinho and Ruan struggle with injuries as they have at times in the past.

Previous Season in Review Articles (Date Posted)

• Jordan Bender (12/2)
• Alex De John (12/3)