Lion Links: 9/17/15

Good morning to you, Lions Nation.

New York City FC beat Toronto FC last night at Yankee Stadium, but you’re probably not interested in that, so let’s jump right into the news and notes of the day…

Orlando City Supports Kicking Childhood Cancer

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and teams throughout Major League Soccer have been showing their support for the cause. On Wednesday, Orlando City welcomed young Joshua Chambers, who is battling cancer, to practice to throw pies into the faces of Lions players. You can — and should — check out the full story here.

Mateos Fined For Flopping

One of the most talked about plays in Sunday’s 3-1 win over Sporting KC was the altercation that had SKC’s Dom Dwyer sent off with a straight red card in the 86th minute. Dwyer shoved David Mateos, who theatrically fell to the ground holding his face. It was clearly a flop, and MLS fined Mateos an undisclosed amount for simulation a day after rescinding Dwyer’s red card.

Ian Fuller a Staple at Orlando City

Here since day one, Orlando City assistant coach Ian Fuller has made a name for himself in the Lions community both on the field as a player and off the field as a member of Adrian Heath's coaching staff. Read the story of his journey with the club.

Edwards Jr. Rising to the Occasion

Earl Edwards Jr. has made quite an impression on Orlando City fans in just his first year as the team's backup goalkeeper out of UCLA. His mother thought soccer wouldn't be his thing, but he's been making a good living at it in MLS. Read his story here.

Champions League Changes Coming

Following his team’s group-clinching win in the CONCACAF Champions League on Tuesday night, D.C. United head coach Ben Olsen let a little secret slip out: the federation is planning changes to when the yearly tournament is played. As it stands, Champions League is run as a fall-spring tournament, but the new changes seem to have it lined up as starting in the spring and finishing in the fall, similar to how the MLS schedule currently is.

Those are your links for the day, folks. Enjoy your Thursday.