Lion Links: 7/2/15

It’s not Sunday yet, and I’m just ready to party hearty when the USWNT plays in the 2015 Women’s World Cup final against Japan.

So let's get these Lion Links over with for today…

I hope we can still be friends, Louisville

As first reported by The Mane Land on Tuesday, Orlando City is ending its USL affiliation with Louisville City to start its own USL club here in Central Florida next season. Our own Kevin Mercer broke down what it means for Orlando City, and Jonathan Lintner of the Courier Journal wrote about what it means for Louisville City and its fans. The biggest takeaway from Lintner’s story? This paragraph below:

But, the new deal includes a provision that Louisville receive an invitation to a preseason tournament hosted each year by Orlando. An annual trip to Florida should benefit a team that this year had to work around snowy practice fields and played exhibitions against mostly area universities in February and March. There's the immediate payoff, too, of hosting Orlando City SC on Aug. 25.

Does Orlando City plan to play in this preseason tournament? Is it only going to be hosted by Orlando City for just other clubs? Only time will tell.

Landon Donovan is salty, yo

All-time leading MLS and USMNT goal-scorer Landon Donovan got people talking on Tuesday night when he wrote this tweet about USWNT forward Abby Wambach:

Donovan was on the Dan Patrick Show this morning and talked about that tweet, the USWNT game last night, how he's dealing with retirement, and even fired some shots at FOX analyst Alexi Lalas. I don't know about you, but retired-Landon Donovan is cool.

USWNT stars are living with Jeff Van Gundy

Yes, two members of the UWSNT are living with former NBA coach Jeff Van Gundy, as profiled in this report by For The Win. Both Meghan Klingenberg and Morgan Brian were both offered a place at the Van Gundy residence as part of the Houston Dash's host-family program.

Klingenberg had been playing overseas in Sweden and wasn't wrapping up her season until the end of May. When she arrived in Houston in June, she needed a place to live for the remaining two months of the NWSL schedule and rather than rent an apartment for a short period of time, the Dash set her up with the Van Gundys. Until she actually moved into their house, she didn't believe it was the same famous NBA family.

USWNT Gets Rematch with Japan

In the most horrible way to lose a game we've ever seen, England bowed out of the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in a devastating 2-1 loss to Japan, setting up a rematch of the 2011 final. The fourth official signaled three minutes of stoppage time in a 1-1 game. Two minutes into that three, Laura Bassett did this:

Ouch. Man, that's harsh.

How do you do, Freddy Adu?

The former 'next best thing' in American soccer appears to be on the lookout for a new club yet again after reportedly being on the way out the door from his current club, Finnish side Kuopion Palloseura. It's just amazing how far this kid has fallen since making the 2010 World Cup squad with the USMNT.

"Freddy is apparently nowhere near match-fit and the coach has refused to put him on the bench," Finnish soccer blogger Rich Nelson told World Soccer Talk. "Despite some gentle encouragement from the board."

The best thing for Adu right now would be to stick himself on some poor ol' USL or NASL club and hope for the best.

That's it for today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Thursday.