Lion Links: 11/23/15

Great Monday morning to you, Mane Landers! I don't know about you, but I'm glad the international break is over and we got club soccer this weekend. Let's get started on those Lion links for your day.

MLS Playoffs Back At It

I missed the MLS action, but not so much with the PRO referees. The first match in Columbus saw the Crew take a two-goal lead over the Red Bulls in the first leg of the Eastern Conference finals. If you didn’t happen to be in your seat by the opening whistle, you probably missed the fastest goal in MLS playoff history by Justin Meram just nine seconds into the game. Out in the West, the Portland Timbers were defending their turf against FC Dallas. The Timbers had a two-goal lead but FC Dallas player David Texeira responded with a goal of his own. Portland managed to score again and take a 3-1 lead into Frisco for the return leg. The second leg of the conference matches will take place next Sunday to determine who advances to the MLS Cup final Dec. 6.

Scottish Team Honors Paris Victims

Scottish Premier team Hamilton Accies did a nice thing by honoring the victims of the Paris attack. The French striker for the Accies, Christian Nade, had a sister caught up in the attacks, so this tribute was extra special for him. Soccer's power to unify and unite people is truly amazing.

NCAA Women's Soccer Tournament Action Continues

Back to soccer action in the United States, the NCAA tournaments continued this weekend, and the quarterfinal teams are locked in. Florida State advanced with a win over Auburn, while Florida fell to the Duke Blue Devils in Gainesville. Duke has knocked out two teams from the Sunshine State, as the Blue Devils also beat Florida Gulf Coast. The tournament picks back up this Friday.

Orlando City Highlights Players To Watch

In case you missed it, the Lions highlighted five players to keep an eye out for next season. We here at The Mane Land have been your key analysis for all our players, providing breakdowns of each player's performance from last season and their outlook for the next year. Look for more of those today.

Here's hoping your Monday morning didn't start like this.

Until next time, Keep on roaring Mane Landers!