It will probably be emotional for Sporting Kansas City top scorer Dom Dwyer to return to Orlando this weekend.
Orlando City coach Adrian Heath has no doubt learned his lesson to choose his words wisely about the forward.
Dwyer will take the field in Orlando for the first time since playing for the franchise at the USL level when these clubs meet for the first time in MLS on Sunday night.
Both Dwyer and midfielder Graham Zusi are making much-anticipated returns to the area, with Zusi hailing from nearby Longwood, Florida. His return will take a back seat to the saga surrounding Dwyer's connection to the club.
Dwyer starred for Orlando City when he played for the club on loan when it was a USL affiliate for Sporting Kansas City.
His coach with the Lions was Heath, who said in a radio interview in June that Dwyer wants to play for Orlando City (7-13-8) and that the club has tried bringing him back. Heath was blasted by Sporting coach Peter Vermes for his comments.
"Dom is a very sought-after player by many teams in the league, not just (Orlando City)," Vermes told the league's official website. "I think it's unfortunate that it comes out publicly like that, because what it could do – and it hasn't, which is great – but it could, within a team, disrupt it."
Heath later apologized to Vermes, and the Orlando City coach was fined an undisclosed amount by the league for his remarks.
Dwyer has a team-high nine goals and will play at the Citrus Bowl for the first time since he scored four for Orlando City in the 2013 USL championship game in a 7-4 victory over Charlotte.
The home team has numerous injury concerns. Kaka has a muscle strain and Darwin Ceren a knee injury, with both uncertain to play Sunday.
Midfielder Brek Shea may give Orlando a boost since he could play for the first time since June 24 after being out with a sports hernia.
Orlando fell to 0-4-2 in its last six with last Saturday's 3-0 loss at New England.
"The last few weeks have been tough on us," Heath said. "You can't dress that up. We need to try and get a win at home."
Orlando will have the advantage of rest since Sporting Kansas City (11-7-8) played a scoreless draw Wednesday at Portland to end a three-game losing streak.
"Obviously we have a short turnaround and then we have a long distance to travel," Vermes said. "It's really going to be about recovery from the Portland game to the Orlando game."
The shutout by goalkeeper Tim Melia was a welcome one after he and Kansas City conceded 13 goals over their previous four games.
Dwyer and Benny Feilhaber, who has eight goals and 13 assists, are the major threats for the visitors.
The Lions' Cyle Larin has a team-high 11 goals, though he hasn't scored in a season-high five straight games.
Orlando City defender Aurelien Collin will face his former team for the first time after spending his previous four years with Kansas City. Collin was the 2013 MLS Cup MVP for his old club.
