Photo by Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports

By MIKE GRAMAJO 

ORLANDO, Fla. — When Cyle Larin bagged his brace in the 54th minute during Orlando City’s 5-2 thrashing of the Columbus Crew, it not only tied the forward for most goals scored by a rookie in a single MLS season with 11 goals, but also set a benchmark in the club’s short history in the league.

With 11 goals to his name this season, the Canadian international also became the club’s all-time leading goalscorer in Major League Soccer, and it drew plenty of praise from Orlando City boss Adrian Heath.

“We all know how important goals are, and I think we have somebody that’s on a hot streak,” Heath said on Larin’s rookie season. “His confident is up, and I told him ‘I thought you worked really hard tonight’ and I’m a big believer in you get out of football in what you put in.

“He has all the tools to be a top-line striker. People don’t realize how strong and how quick he is, we do because see it every day, and if he keeps working, and God willing, he keeps injury free, he has a bright future.”

Since re-joining Orlando from Gold Cup duties, which saw the forward feature for the Canadian National Team, the rookie has gone on to score five goals in his last two games for the Lions. A hat-trick at iconic Yankee Stadium on July 26 followed with a two-goal performance on Saturday night at home, which saw the 20-year-old surpass Brazilian star Kaka as the team’s leading goalscorer in MLS.

“It takes hard work to score goals,” Larin humbly told reporters. “I’ve been working hard in training, and it all comes on the field. The more I score, the more I get confident. After the second one, I wanted another one. I think I’m not done yet.”

While the former UConn Huskie has lit up the scoreboard this season, he attributed Kaka to his successful first-year in MLS, mainly because the Brazilian star has set up most of Larin’s 11 goals this season.

“He’s a great, great player,” said Larin of Kaka. “He teaches me a lot on the field, and every time I play, he teaches me something different, on and off the field. A lot of the goals come from what he does and how smart he is, really helps not only me but the team.”

Despite starting his rookie season rather slow, Larin found the net for the first time during week six of MLS action, when he scored on the road on April 12 during a 2-0 road win at Portland. Since then, the Canadian went on to score his current 11 goals in his last 17 games played.

Larin has the opportunity to break Damani Ralph’s record of 11 goals in a rookie season, which was set in 2003 with the Chicago Fire, when he makes a return home to face Toronto FC at BMO Field on Wednesday.

When asked about potentially setting the new record in Canadian soil, Larin said: “That’s my hometown, it will feel good to break that record, hopefully I can score, too.”