Orlando United: MLS shows support for shooting victims

Major League Soccer showed support for Orlando on Saturday as league play resumed.

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Major League Soccer showed support for Orlando on Saturday as league play resumed and Orlando City tied 2—2 with the San Jose Earthquakes.

Orlando City’s match at the Citrus Bowl on Saturday was the first major sporting event in the city since last week’s shootings at a local gay nightclub.

Returning from its international break, MLS released a video in solidarity with Orlando and the shooting victims.

We stand with Orlando. #OrlandoUnited https://t.co/OkzB4t6Ji7

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 18, 2016

Players from Orlando City SC and the Orlando Pride also made the following video tribute where they declare “We are Orlando United.”

We are #OrlandoUnited. https://t.co/8olpvDygIL

— Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) June 18, 2016

The players took the field with special shirts with a rainbow heart and #OrlandoUnited on the front while "All You Need is Love" from the Beatles played.

"All you need is love." #OrlandoUnited #ORLvSJ https://t.co/BDwDRh0f37

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 19, 2016

Balloons placed in 49 seats in the stadium in honor of the victims.

50 seats reserved for the 49 victims of Pulse shooting, w/ 50th balloon & seat for Christina Grimmie #OrlandoUnited pic.twitter.com/va1KVWPSbb

— UCF Knight News (@UCFKnightNews) June 18, 2016

In the 50th minute, a moment of silence was held as both teams stopped to remember the 49 victims.

A moment of silence in honor of the 49 victims of the Orlando tragedy #OrlandoUnited https://t.co/H3JaNjsfiI

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 19, 2016

The sentiment was shared across NWSL and MLS, as the Washington Spirit, the Vancouver Whitecaps and Toronto FC held a moment of silence before their respective games to remember the victims.

A moment of silence. #OrlandoUnited #WASvORL pic.twitter.com/mGLhn2Ia8A

— Washington Spirit - x (@WashSpirit) June 18, 2016

Today, we stand with Orlando. @OrlandoCitySC, we are with you. #OrlandoUnited #VWFC pic.twitter.com/RWhJ7235gy

— Vancouver Whitecaps FC (@WhitecapsFC) June 18, 2016

A moment of silence is observed for the victims in Orlando. #OrlandoUnited pic.twitter.com/DrVsW6usZH

— Toronto FC (@TorontoFC) June 18, 2016

The pitch featured rainbow flags in each corner.

Corner flags are rainbow tonight for the Orlando City MLS match in honor of the 49 people killed here last weekend. pic.twitter.com/Io7R4pJQ84

— bob holtzman (@Bob_Holtzman) June 18, 2016

Kaka and Commissioner Don Garber posed with a heart of flowers as well.

.@KAKA and @thesoccerdon are #OrlandoUnited pic.twitter.com/DPT5pTXUUo

— Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) June 19, 2016

• MORE: Orlando City wears special tribute patch on jerseys

U.S. Soccer has also shown its support in the past week, releasing a video of its own, while USMNT captain Michael Bradley donned a rainbow armband in the Copa America quarterfinal match vs. Ecuador.