Lion Links: 3/30/15

Let's be honest, your Monday morning could be worse.

Coming off a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Montreal on Saturday, Orlando City and Lions fans have to feel pretty good about themselves as they set their sights on D.C. United and their first home victory of the season. It’s still early in the year, but the Lions have avoided the slow start that can derail an MLS campaign before it even starts. A win on Friday, and Orlando City could even retake first place in the Eastern Conference.

With that in mind, let's get to your Monday morning Lion Links.

Montreal Memories

It was a draw between a roster-depleted Orlando City squad and one of the worst teams in MLS, but it was also the Lions' most entertaining game of the season. That still doesn't really make sense to me.

In any case, The Mane Land's got you covered with…

• A recap of Saturday’s game

• Player grades and analysis. Spoiler alert: The Brazilians did pretty well

• Notes on the draw, including a look at Pedro Ribeiro’s performance and the Lions’ improving crosses

MLS Recap: Week 4

It was another wild week around Major League Soccer, as not a single match was decided by more than a goal difference.

This weekend featured plenty of dramatic games around the league, but none more so than Vancouver's dramatic stoppage time strike against the Timbers to steal three points at home. I guess karma hasn't arrived in Canada yet.

New York City FC tasted defeated for the first time as a club, dropping a home contest to Sporting Kansas City, while FC Dallas’s hot start was finally halted (kind of) in a 0-0 draw with the Seattle Sounders. On Sunday, Chicago got its first win of the season and Real Salt Lake scored right at the death to deny Toronto FC a draw on the road.

When the dust settles, Orlando find themselves in fourth place in the Eastern Conference and 10th in the league, a solid start to the season that should give the club some breathing room as the MLS season begins to take shape.

Checking in with the USMNT

The boys in blue continued their Gold Cup preparation with a loss to Denmark last week, but the national team received some more bad news when promising young forward Aron Jóhannsson was ruled out for this week's game against Switzerland with an infection.

It’s a been a rough road back from Brazil for Jóhannsson, who has struggled with injuries since becoming a household name for American soccer fans after last year’s World Cup. He suffered an ankle injury during WC preparation and attempted to play through it, but missed the start of the club season with surgery, only to re-injure the same ankle last month.

After scoring against Denmark on Wednesday, Jóhannsson's been sidelined with an infection. Here's hoping America's favorite Icelandic export is back on the pitch in no time.

Jordan Morris will take Jóhannsson’s spot on the squad for the Switzerland game.

RSL player gets engaged on pitch before first start of the season

Let's envision a scenario:

You're about to make your first start of the season for a team desperately seeking its first win of the year. You're playing a team that's basically decided to field the best team money can buy. And you're also down on one knee proposing to your girlfriend.

On behalf of all American men who still get nervous talking to pretty girls, I salute you Devon Sandoval.

The Real Salt Lake defender popped the question to girlfriend Cristin Anderson just two hours before kickoff against TFC on the pitch at Rio Tinto Stadium. Not surprisingly, she said yes.

That's it for Lion Links today. Bring our boys back home! And if you want to watch Cyle Larin and the Canadian National Team battle Puerto Rico at 6:30 this evening, here's your link for the stream.