Lion Links
Lion Links: 6/16/16

Happy Thursday everyone! Brad here and after a long, arduous Copa America break we finally have some Orlando City Soccer Club action, and quite frankly, after a long and emotionally taxing week, it couldn’t come a moment sooner. The club is playing San Jose on Saturday and two hours north of there is some of America’s best wine. So, I’m gonna recommend a nice Napa Valley vintage…say a Starmont Winery Pino Noir with a white pizza.
Now, on to the news!
Mateos Header Sinks Armada
Orlando City went up I-95 yesterday and brought back a W. David Mateos scored in the 62nd minute as the Lions defeated the NASL's Jacksonville Armada 1-0 at Southern Oak Stadium last night. If you weren't there, it was a bit of a frustrating game, as the game's video stream cut out at halftime and didn't come back until just after Mateos' goal. Then it rewound to the 49th minute and didn't revert back to real time until the 82nd minute. It's OK though because — spoiler alert — Orlando City keeper Earl Edwards Jr. kept a clean sheet. The Lions will find out their fifth-round opponent later today.
Multiple Lions in the Running to Make MLS All-Star Game
Human brick wall Joe Bendik, Orlando City captain Kaká, and — surprisingly enough — Brek Shea are all in the top three for their positions to make the MLS All-Star team this year. This would be Kaká’s second appearance, as well as Shea’s (although voted to the team in 2011, Shea did not play due to being involved in a CONCACAF Champion’s League match). Assuming he makes the squad and the voting holds, it would be Joe Bendik’s first. The 2016 MLS All-Star Game will take place July 28 and will be against Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal squad in San Jose.
Would it surprise you to learn that Ashlyn Harris is up for NWSL Save of the Week?
So, stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but the Orlando Pride goalkeeper is among the nominees for NWSL Save of the Week. As of this writing, she has 50% of the vote, with Lydia Williams in second place with 26%.
Harris has already won the award several times this season and at this point I’m considering just letting you know when she isn’t nominated. Just keep checking here at The Mane Land to find out when she isn’t.
Jermaine Jones Said an Obvious Thing
According to the Colorado Rapids defender/midfielder/whatever, "big players like big games." This quote shocked me because I would have figured guys like Messi, Ronaldo, Zlatan, and Lewandowski all enjoy coasting around and just sorta giving a "meh" effort. Which, the article in question goes over the USMNT’s mentality entering their Copa America Centenario match against Costa Rica which ended in a 4-0 drubbing of the Ticos.
Euro 2016 Keeps on Trucking
Yesterday, Slovakia pulled off an upset over Russia, Romania and Switzerland played to a 1-1 draw, thanks in part to an absolutely insane goal by Switzerland’s Admir Mehmedi, and France needed the full match to put away Albania, thanks to a 90th minute Antoine Griezmann goal and Dimitri Payet’s dagger in the sixth minute of stoppage. Speaking of Euros, we now know why Germany’s Joachim Löw had his hands down his pants then sniffed his fingers and, well. The explanation doesn’t make it any better.
Free Kicks
Today’s birthdays include the Ultimate Warrior, who passed away in 2014, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is 49, Phil Mickelson is 46, Tupac Shakur (who, I’m not entirely convinced is dead) may or may not be 45, and New York Rangers forward Rick Nash is 32…Cristiano Ronaldo is a pretty sore draw-er? Tie-er? Someone adjudged to be equally as good as the Icelandic soccer team?…The LA Galaxy used a pretty cheap tactic to beat La Máquina FC in the U.S. Open Cup match and now, La Máquina is protesting the result…and finally, an avocado shortage is fueling a crime wave in New Zealand.
That’s it for today!
Play us out, Buffon!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/29/25
Lions earn weekly plaudits, Barbra Banda up for Goal of the Week, Orlando City announces affiliation agreement, and more.

Good morning everyone! It was a pretty good weekend for Orlando’s soccer teams as two out of the three picked up victories to collect six out of the nine points available. In the process, Orlando City stretched its undefeated streak to seven games and the Orlando Pride got back to winning ways. There’s no time to rest on our laurels though, as Orlando City B returns to action on Friday. We’ve got plenty of things to talk through this morning, so let’s jump into the links.
Two Lions Garner Weekly Recognition
Marco Pasalic and Alex Freeman both played important roles in Orlando City’s 3-0 win over Atlanta United on Saturday, and they’ve each been rewarded with a place on the bench in the most recent MLS Team of the Matchday. Freeman scored his third goal of the season while Pasalic scored a goal and provided the assist for Freeman’s strike, and the Croatian was also David Rohe’s pick for the Man of the Match. The good vibes don’t stop there though, because Pasalic’s fantastic strike from distance was also named the Energy Moment of the Matchday, which I admittedly wasn’t aware was an actual thing until this week. Not to be outdone, Freeman got some props as one of the standout young players from the matchday, which is far from the first time he’s gotten some love in that particular category. Keep up the good work guys!
Barbra Banda Up for Goal of the Week
Continuing the trend of Orlando players earning praise for their performances over the weekend, Barbra Banda has been nominated for the NWSL Goal of the Week. She scored the Orlando’s Pride’s 76th-minute equalizer that drew the team level with Angel City FC after going into halftime down 2-0. Carson Pickett did a great job saving the ball before it went out of bounds, and then whipped a dangerous cross into the box. Banda did the rest, getting halfway around her defender and contorting her head low to meet the ball and send it into the upper corner off the post. It was the sort of outstanding finishing that we’ve come to know and love from Banda, and here’s hoping we’ll see plenty more of it.
Orlando City Announces Affiliation Agreement
Orlando City announced on Monday that it has begun an affiliation agreement with Black Knight Football Club that will focus on “player development, scouting operations, executive collaboration, and commercial opportunities across both organizations.” This is technically a multi-club partnership, as BKFC has a number of different clubs in its network, including Bournemouth, FC Lorient, and Hibernian. BKFC is a partnership that was formed in 2022 when Bill Foley and Cannae Holdings purchased Bournemouth. Representatives from both Orlando City and Black Knight were enthusiastic when talking about the opportunities that the partnership will provide players and staff members from both sides, so it’ll be very interesting to keep an eye out for if/how it affects the on-field product.
Americans in Midweek Action
There are a number of Americans taking part in games during the working week, and cup competitions are a big point of focus. Things start on Wednesday with Barcelona taking on Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League, as youngster Diego Kochen will likely be on the bench for the Spaniards. Also on Wednesday, Brian White and the Vancouver Whitecaps will try to knock off Inter Miami in the second leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup tie. Thursday has Johnny Cardoso and Real Betis hosting Fiorentina in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League semifinals. Things then wrap up on Friday with Gianluca Busio and Fiorentina traveling to play Torino in Serie A.
Free Kicks
- The Orlando Pride held fast at no.1 in ESPN.com’s NWSL power rankings.
- Orlando City rose one spot to no.14 in ESPN.com’s MLS power rankings.
- Southampton is reportedly considering Minnesota United’s Eric Ramsay as a candidate to fill the club’s empty managerial position.
- D.C. United has reportedly held exploratory talks with free agent Paul Pogba, although no official offer has been made yet.
- Carlo Ancelotti will reportedly become the next Brazil manager.
That’s all I have for today. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/28/25
Lions defeat Atlanta United, Pride bounce back against Angel City FC, OCB falls to New York Red Bulls II, and more.

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I will cover high school volleyball and soccer later this week. Let’s wish a happy birthday to Orlando City B forward Thalles, who turns 20 today. Our beloved Lions finally won a match this month, the Pride bounced back with a win, and OCB lost over the weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.
Lions Defeat Atlanta United at Home
Orlando City snapped its three-game winless streak and extended its unbeaten streak to seven games, beating rival Atlanta United 3-0 Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium. Luis Muriel, Alex Freeman, and Marco Pasalic scored for the Lions. With Pasalic’s goal and assist in Saturday’s match against Atlanta, he added his name to the club record books by becoming the fourth player in club history to have seven goal contributions in his first 10 matches.
Orlando set a club record early in the match for the most consecutive shutout minutes. By the end of the match, Orlando had not conceded a goal in 436 minutes. The Lions’ last goal conceded was to Christian Ramirez in the 14th minute against the LA Galaxy last month. Orlando City will be on the road Saturday to take on the Chicago Fire at Soldier Field.
Pride Rally to Defeat Angel City FC at Home
The Orlando Pride completed the comeback, overcoming a 2-0 deficit late in the second half and defeating Angel City FC 3-2 Friday at Inter&Co Stadium. In the final 20 minutes, Marta and Barbra Banda scored to tie the match after Orlando trailed 2-0. Orlando also got an own goal in stoppage time from Angel City FC defender M.A. Vignola and escaped with a win at home. The Pride bounced back after a defeat to the Washington Spirit the previous week. With the Kansas City Current losing to the North Carolina Courage over the weekend, the Pride are tied with the Current atop the NWSL table. After the match, Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines shared his thoughts on his team’s resiliency to overturn a 2-0 deficit and fight back for the win at home.
The Pride will travel to the Pacific Northwest to face the Portland Thorns in their next match Saturday at Providence Park.
Orlando City B Falls at Home to New York Red Bulls II
Orlando City B started slowly and dug too deep a hole to climb out of on Sunday night in a 4-2 loss to New York Red Bulls II at Osceola County Stadium. The Young Lions trailed 2-0 early in the first half. Jhon Solis pulled one back for OCB before Red Bulls II added another goal to make it 3-1 just before halftime. In the second half, Justin Ellis scored to pull the Young Lions within one again before Ibrahim Kasule converted a penalty kick goal in stoppage time to seal the win against OCB. New York Red Bulls II moves to second in the Eastern Conference with 13 points, while Orlando City B has lost back-to-back matches and is in fifth with 11 points. OCB will be on the road Friday to take on Chicago Fire II at SeatGeek Stadium.
NWSL Announces Plans to Launch a Second Division Women’s League
The National Women’s Soccer League has submitted an application to the U.S. Soccer Federation to launch a second-division soccer league in 2026, the league announced on Friday. The plan for this new league is to focus on furthering player development and building a pipeline between the NWSL and the second division league, similar to Major League Soccer and MLS NEXT Pro. Eight clubs are reportedly set for the league’s inaugural season, including the Orlando Pride. Joining Orlando in committing to the league are Bay FC, the Kansas City Current, the North Carolina Courage, NJ/NY Gotham FC, Racing Louisville, the Seattle Reign, and the Washington Spirit. The Division 2 clubs would play in the same stadiums as their parent clubs. The season format would be a round robin, featuring 14 matches, home and away, and will include playoffs with two semifinals and a championship match.
Free Kicks
- MLSsoccer.com featured an interview with Orlando City forward Marco Pasalic. He gave insight into adjusting to a new team in a new league, his soccer journey, working in construction with his brother, and learning Spanish.
- MLSsoccer.com also praised Orlando City defender Alex Freeman for his stellar form in April scoring three goals and adding an assist, while highlighting his versatility and athleticism on defense and in midfield.
- Real Salt Lake has added former Sporting Kansas City winger and captain Johnny Russell to its roster for the 2025 season.
- Inter Miami has waived midfielder Julian Gressel as he is reportedly set to join Minnesota United.
- Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 3-2 in extra time to win the Copa del Rey for the 32nd time. It’s the third time Barcelona has beaten Real Madrid this season.
- Ipswich Town became the final Premier League club to be relegated after a 3-0 defeat to Newcastle United on Saturday.
- Wrexham sealed promotion for the third consecutive season, moving to the EFL Championship after beating Charlton Athletic 3-0 on Saturday.
- Liverpool dominated Tottenham Hotspur 5-1 on Sunday to win the Premier League title and become champions of England, tying Manchester United’s record for 20 league championship titles.
That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 4/25/25
Orlando City gets ready for Atlanta United, Luiz Muzzi and Ricardo Moreira promoted, NWSL MVP candidates, and more.

Happy Friday! Today starts three straight days of Orlando soccer to enjoy, so make sure to plan your weekend accordingly. It was a fairly fast week for me, and I was able to read three books somehow. Before we dive into today’s links, let’s all wish a very happy 21st birthday to Orlando City winger Nicolas Rodriguez!
Orlando City Gets Ready for Rivalry Match
The Lions are back in action Saturday night against rival Atlanta United in what should be one of the more interesting matchups of the weekend. Both teams are looking for answers on offense heading into this match, as Orlando is coming off of three straight scoreless draws and Atlanta hasn’t won since March. Taking on a rival at home could be just what’s needed for the Lions to jumpstart their attack and return to the form they had earlier this season. Head Coach Oscar Pareja spoke on how it’s an important game to win for Orlando, as well as how the offense needs to exercise some calmness to finish its chances.
Orlando City Promotes Luiz Muzzi and Ricardo Moreira
Luiz Muzzi and Ricardo Moreira were both promoted by Orlando City, with Moreira taking over as the club’s general manager and sporting director and Muzzi becoming senior advisor to ownership, global soccer ventures. It’s a natural step up for Moreira, who joined the club in 2018 and has helped build a competitive roster that’s made the playoffs for the past five seasons. Muzzi’s new role is a bit of a mouthful, but he’ll be taking on an advisory role focused on the growth of the club while working closely with ownership.
“I am truly grateful to have had the opportunity to serve as Orlando City Soccer Club’s EVP of Soccer Operations and General Manager for seven seasons, and I am excited to continue my journey with the club in this new role,” said Luiz Muzzi. “I look forward to working alongside the Wilf family and the leadership team to help shape the future of the club and its continued success, both on and off the field, and I know Orlando City’s Soccer Operations will be in great hands under Ricardo’s leadership.”
Orlando Pride Players in the NWSL MVP Hunt
Now that we’re over a month into the NWSL season, ESPN‘s Jeff Kassouf highlighted the league’s early MVP candidates, and there are a couple of familiar faces in his rankings. Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda is predictably in the mix in sixth on the list, as she has three goals and an assist to her name so far. But a surprise inclusion is midfielder Haley McCutcheon, who has impressed on both sides of the ball to earn ninth place in the rankings. While I think the MVP race will ultimately be between scorers like Banda, Temwa Chawinga, Ashley Hatch, and Debinha, it’s pretty great to see McCutcheon receive deserved praise for her performance this year.
MLS Transfer News Roundup
The transfer deadline may be over for MLS clubs, but deals that crossed the finish line are still coming in. The Columbus Crew added yet another forward by sending up to $1.2 million to the Houston Dynamo in exchange for Aliyu Ibrahim. The 23-year-old will maintain his U22 Initiative Player status in Columbus and recorded 12 goals and nine assists across 90 appearances for Houston. LAFC signed 26-year-old midfielder Ryan Raposo, who spent the past five seasons with the Vancouver Whitecaps and was a free agent this year. St. Louis City also made things official with Simon Becher by making his loan move a permanent one so that he stays with the club.
Free Kicks
- Enjoy this intriguing article that shines a light on how MLS team administrators manage the chaos of the transfer window. I would devour a television series following these kinds of crises throughout the season.
- St. Petersburg is exploring demolishing Al Lang Stadium, the home of the Tampa Bay Rowdies, to make room for an amphitheater. The proposed demolition would take place after 2028, so we’ll see if this comes to pass.
- Jamie Vardy is leaving Leicester City, ending a 13-year tenure there that will be remembered for winning the English Premier League title in 2016.
- Here’s everything you need to know before the second legs of the UEFA Women’s Champions League semifinals on Sunday. Chelsea will take on Barcelona before Lyon and Arsenal square off, with both English clubs trailing after the first legs.
- Real Sociedad announced that Head Coach Imanol Alguacil will step down following this season. Alguacil was hired in December of 2018 and led the team to victory in the 2020 Copa del Rey.
- Manchester United will take part in the inaugural women’s seven-a-side tournament next month, joining Bayern Munich, Ajax, Benfica, and four other teams yet to be determined.
- NBA Hall of Fame point guard Jason Kidd has joined Everton’s ownership group. I too would be looking for anything to take my mind off of the Dallas Mavericks’ season.
- Former Pride players Sydney Leroux and Ali Riley announced a weekly podcast, with the first episode set for Monday.
That’s all I have for you this time around. Mother’s Day is less than a month away, just as a warning. If the mothers in your life like romance books and you’re looking for a gift, I can’t recommend The Rom-Commers by Katherine Center enough. Have a great Friday!
-
Orlando Pride1 week ago
Orlando Pride vs. Washington Spirit: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
-
Orlando Pride1 week ago
Orlando Pride vs. Washington Spirit: Final Score 1-0 As Pride Drop Points For First Time in 2025
-
Orlando City2 weeks ago
Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Player Grades and Man of the Match
-
Orlando City1 week ago
Orlando City vs. CF Montreal: Final Score 0-0 as 10-Man Lions Toothless Yet Again
-
Photo Galleries2 weeks ago
Orlando City vs. New York Red Bulls: Photo Gallery
-
Orlando Pride4 days ago
Orlando Pride vs. Angel City FC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More
-
Orlando City B2 weeks ago
Orlando City B vs. Inter Miami II: Final Score 3-2 as OCB Falls To In-State Rivals
-
Orlando City1 week ago
Orlando City vs. CF Montreal: Player Grades and Man of the Match