Orlando City earned a massive 0-0 away draw against Tigres in the CONCACAF Champions League round of 16 first leg on Tuesday night.
Facing the heavily favored Liga MX side, Orlando conceded plenty of possession and allowed 22 total shots, but a strong defensive performance and some key saves from Pedro Gallese allowed the MLS side to secure a huge result.
The Lions will return home for the second leg full of confidence, not just because of the result but because star Tigres striker André-Pierre Gignac won’t be traveling to Florida for the game.
Gignac isn’t injured and he won’t be suspended — though he nearly was after being shown a first-half red card only for it to be changed to yellow after a VAR review.
Instead, the French striker won’t travel because he is unvaccinated against Covid-19. Current U.S. government rules state all air travelers who are not U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents must be fully vaccinated before they enter the country.
Gignac also missed the 2022 MLS All-Star Game for the same reason — though this game, of course, counts.
Explaining his decision last year, Gignac said: “I want to clarify that I spoke with the board and asked them to respect this issue, which for me is a point of belief, education and something that comes from my childhood and my origin.
“I appreciate the support and respect for my decision on this issue, which is 100 percent personal.”
Gignac is joined by another high-profile anti-vax athlete who is set to miss out on competing in Florida this month: tennis star Novak Djokovic won’t be able to play in the Miami Open due to the same rule that will keep Gignac out.
Whether Gignac plans to petition Ron DeSantis remains to be seen.
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