Lion Links
Lion Links: 1/15/16

Good morning, and welcome to yet another draft day. What, you thought we were done after yesterday? Pffffft. Yeah, right.
The Orlando Pride take center stage today with three picks in today's NWSL College Draft. Tom Sermanni's team begins the day with the No. 10, 15 and 31 picks in the draft, but a lot can change, as we saw in yesterday's MLS SuperDraft. So let's get to today's Lion Links:
MLS SuperDraft Roundup
In case you missed the excitement yesterday, we've got a pair of new Lions. Here's all the important stuff:
- Orlando City selected University of Akron midfielder Richie Laryea with the No. 7 overall pick
- The Lions traded their second-round pick and $100,000 in Targeted Allocation Money (per Steven Goff) to move back into the first round at No. 13 and select UCF forward Hadji Barry.
- Orlando City's team website coverage of yesterday's draft activities.
- The Lions were very happy with how their first round picks went.
- Chicago Fire selected first and then turned around and traded their No. 1 overall pick to New York City FC for the No. 4 overall pick and general allocation money.
Will today's NWSL hold surprises in store? Unknown at this point, but we'll get more Pride players today, and that's a good thing. We'll have full coverage throughout the day, so keep your internet dial tuned right here. [/old guy makes a terrestrial radio reference on the interwebs.]
Orlando City Wins 2015 MLS Executive Awards
Last night, Major League Soccer announced its annual awards recognizing individuals and club for off-the-field accomplishments. Orlando City and New York Red Bulls finished with four awards each to lead the field. Here are Orlando City's award winners:
- Chris Gallagher — Ticket Sales Executive of the Year
- Teresa Tatlonghari — Marketing Executive of the Year
- Partnership Marketing Activation of the Year (Publix Tailgate)
-
Erik Ustruck — Team Administrator of the Year presented by Sportscorp Travel
Congratulations to the hard-working folks of the front office, whose work behind the scenes often goes unappreciated.
Meet the New Guy
Because college soccer doesn't receive a great deal of media attention or television coverage, we're often left to figure out who these players are that our team has drafted. In this video, you get a bit of an introduction to Laryea and how he came to be such good buddies with Orlando City striker and MLS Rookie of the Year Cyle Larin. Richie and Hadji will be introduced to Orlando media a bit closer to the team's Media Day and we'll have more on him at that time.
Instant Replay Coming
At yesterday's MLS SuperDraft, Don Garber talked to reporters about how the league could work with the USL to start testing instant replay as early as this season.
"We are evaluating very closely testing instant replay with the USL," Garber told Goal USA at the MLS draft. "I've said this for many, many years: I'm a big believer in instant replay. I believe that our officials need it."
That is not to say that replay is coming to MLS this season, but testing in the USL could potentially start in 2016. Among the things Garber said could fall under review are penalties, goals and red card infractions.
Hamid Suffers Major Injury
Poor Bill Hamid. The D.C. United goalkeeper could possibly be playing meaningful games for the USMNT if he could stay healthy. Hamid sustained a knee injury that will sideline him "for several months" according to reports yesterday.
United officials were told by U.S. doctors Thursday that Hamid, 25, would need extended time for recovery and rehabilitation. The club did not immediately announce a specific timetable, but in all likelihood, he probably will not return until late spring or early summer.
Hamid had surgery on the same knee last summer and missed a month, but sources said there was always a concern he would continue to have trouble with it.
That's not good and we hope Hamid makes a full and speedy recovery.
Free Kicks:
R.I.P. Hans Gruber / Severus Snape / Sheriff of Nottingham / Metatron / Mavin the Paranoid Android / Dr. Lazarus. We'll miss you, Alan Rickman…Is Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey to blame for Rickman and David Bowie passing away this week (and the deaths of other famous people)? Probably not but that's some freaky stuff…We're not sure if they want Alejandro Bedoya or maybe Alan Pulido, but the Colorado Rapids have something up their sleeves by trading for that top allocation spot yesterday…And finally, did Miss Washington stab former Sounders midfielder Marco Pappa?
That's enough to catch you up for now. It'll be a busy Friday and we recommend you try to get a few things done at work in between Pride draft picks. And for those of you not working (or if you've just got a really cool boss, our How to Watch post for today's NWSL College Draft will drop at 9 a.m.).
Lion Links
Lion Links: 7/8/25
Ramiro Enrique earns weekly props, Club World Cup semifinals preview, United States Men’s National Team stock watch, and more.

Good morning, everyone. Depending on your preference, I hope you either had a restful holiday weekend or an active and engaging one. We have an active and engaging week ahead of us in the soccer world, with the continuation of the Women’s European Championships and the Club World Cup, and Orlando City and Orlando City B in action at the weekend. That means we have a lot to cover this morning, so let’s get into the links.
Ramiro Enrique Earns Weekly Recognition
Ramiro Enrique played an important role in Orlando City’s 2-2 comeback draw against Charlotte FC over the weekend, and he’s been rewarded with a place on the bench in the MLS Team of the Matchday. Enrique bagged Orlando’s first goal of the evening just four minutes after the Lions went down by a second goal, and his strike helped keep the game from getting away from OCSC. He could have had an even better game if he’d not been denied a second goal due to a goal-line clearance. Still, it’s good to see him finding the back of the net, and here’s hoping he keeps doing so.
Club World Cup Semifinals Preview
The Club World Cup semifinals get started later today with Chelsea taking on Fluminense at 3 p.m. There are several storylines and battles to watch, with a big one being Fluminense’s Thiago Silva facing off against a Chelsea team with which he won the UEFA Champions League back in 2021. He’ll be tasked with shutting down Cole Palmer while teammate Hercules will do battle with Moises Caicedo in midfield. Wednesday’s match has Real Madrid taking on Paris Saint-Germain in a game littered with French stars on both sides. The big storyline here is Kylian Mbappe taking on his former PSG team, but the Madrid squad also features Frenchmen Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga, and Ferland Mendy. It would take too long to list all of PSG’s French stars, but Ousmane Dembele is the biggest name to watch, although Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola are more than capable of making huge impacts on matches.
Post-Gold Cup Stock Watch
Now that the Gold Cup has concluded, we can better analyze which United States Men’s National Team players benefitted from the tournament, and which ones saw their stock drop. Two guys who got huge boosts as a result of their play during the competition are Chris Richards and Malik Tillman. Richards already had a great club season but displayed a level of poise and maturity this summer that will ease some concerns about the center back position. Tillman scored or assisted in all but two Gold Cup matches, and his performances combined with the year he had for PSV Eindhoven might just get him a move to Bayer Leverkusen. On the other hand, Matt Turner didn’t play a single minute during the tournament and almost certainly needs regular playing time if he wants to regain the starting role he had at the 2022 World Cup. Despite having a good year with Toulouse, Mark McKenzie was unable to unseat Tim Ream from partnering Richards at center back, and he’s running out of chances to make his case for a starting spot.
Women’s Euros Results
The Women’s European Championships continued on Monday, and fans were treated to a pair of extremely different games in Group B. In one, Portugal needed a last-minute equalizer to salvage a point in a 1-1 draw against Italy. That point gives Portugal a chance to advance to the quarterfinals if it beats Belgium in the final group match and Spain beats Italy, although it also needs to make up a significant gap in goal difference. In the other game, Spain punched its ticket to the knockout rounds in emphatic fashion by trouncing Belgium to the tune of a 6-2 scoreline. Alexia Putellas had a brace, and five different Spanish players found the back of the net as Spain scored four unanswered goals in the second half to cruise through to the next round.
Free Kicks
- The Orlando Pride have announced a series of summer events to help fill the women’s soccer void during the NWSL’s midseason pause.
- Orlando City held fast at no. 10 in ESPN.com’s MLS power rankings.
- New York City FC is floating a giant pigeon down the Hudson River today, but a rotating Lion statue it is not.
- Inter Miami is reportedly in talks with Atletico Madrid to sign Rodrigo De Paul.
- Newcastle United has reportedly signed Anthony Elanga pending the completion of a medical.
- Wojciech Szczesny has signed a two-year contract extension with Barcelona, which may open the door for Marc-Andre ter Stegen to leave the club.
That’s all I have for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 7/7/25
Lions draw at Charlotte FC, OCB claims two points against Crown Legacy, USMNT falls to Mexico in Gold Cup final, and more.

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope you all had a great Fourth of July holiday weekend. I was busy working but tried to catch some soccer when I could. The senior Lions and OCB were both in action over the weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.
Lions Come from Behind in 2-2 Draw at Charlotte FC
Orlando City overturned a 2-0 deficit and picked up a 2-2 draw against Charlotte FC Saturday at Bank of America Stadium. The Lions trailed 2-0 late in the second half, but Ramiro Enrique pulled one back for Orlando to make it 2-1. Marco Pasalic scored the equalizer to help Orlando secure a draw. The Lions are unbeaten in their last three matches on the road (2-0-1) but are winless in their last two consecutive matches (0-1-1). Martin Ojeda and Luis Muriel assisted on both goals for the Lions, and Ojeda became the third player in club history to record 50 goal contributions.
Orlando City remains fifth in the Eastern Conference table with 34 points. The Lions will take on CF Montreal Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium but will be without Pedro Gallese and Robin Jansson, who will serve suspensions for yellow card accumulation.
OCB Wins Penalty Shootout vs. Crown Legacy FC after 2-2 Draw
Orlando City B drew 2-2 against Crown Legacy FC Sunday at the Mecklenburg County Sportsplex. The Young Lions stuck first against the run of play on a goal from Justin Ellis to take a 1-0 lead. Orlando City B held onto the lead through halftime. In the second half, Crown Legacy FC scored twice to take a 2-1 lead. However, Ellis scored the equalizer on a late penalty kick to record his second goal of the match. After 90 minutes, MLS NEXT Pro draws go to penalties, and OCB won the extra point with a 3-1 shootout win. Carlos Mercado was instrumental, as the goalkeeper stopped Crown Legacy’s first three spot kicks. OCB will be back in action Sunday at Osceola County Stadium against Carolina Core FC.
USMNT Falls to Mexico in Gold Cup Final
The U.S. Men’s National Team fell 2-1 to Mexico on Sunday in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup final at NRG Stadium. Mexico won the Gold Cup for the 10th time and repeated as champions. Orlando City defender Alex Freeman started the match and played 90 minutes. The USMNT got off to a great start as a Chris Richards header gave the U.S. the early lead. Later in the first half, Raul Jimenez scored the equalizer for Mexico. In the second half, Edson Alvarez buried his header to pull Mexico ahead 2-1. The goal was initially called offside, but it was awarded after video review. The USMNT fell short of an eighth Gold Cup title but will now shift its focus to preparing for the 2025 FIFA World Cup next summer. The USMNT’s next matches are friendlies against South Korea on Sept. 4 and Japan on Sept. 9.
Club World Cup Quarterfinals Recap
The semifinals are set in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup after four thrilling quarterfinal matches over the weekend. On Friday, Fluminense edged Al-Hilal 2-1 to move on to the semifinals. Chelsea beat Palmeiras 2-1 and booked a spot in the semifinals. Former Lion Facundo Torres started the match for Palmeiras and played 67 minutes. On Saturday, Paris Saint-Germain defeated Bayern Munich 2-0, scoring two late goals in the second half from Desire Doue and Ousmane Dembélé to advance despite finishing the match with nine men. Real Madrid edged Borussia Dortmund 3-2 in a thrilling match to advance. The semifinals kick off Tuesday afternoon as Fluminense faces Chelsea. On Wednesday, Paris Saint-Germain will take on Real Madrid as Kylian Mbappe faces his former club. The Club World Cup final will be played at MetLife Stadium Sunday.
Free Kicks
- On Saturday, France defeated England 2-1 in its opening match of the 2025 UEFA Women’s Euros in Switzerland. Orlando Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse was on the bench.
- Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda scored 58 seconds into the match for Zambia in the 2025 CAF Women’s African Cup of Nations against Morocco. Banda also notched an assist, but it wasn’t enough to win as the match ended in a 2-2 draw. Prisca Chilufya and Grace Chanda joined Banda in playing for Zambia.
- San Diego FC midfielder Alejandro Alvarado Jr. and defender Andres Reyes will miss the rest of the 2025 season. Both players will be placed on the season-ending injury list.
- Arsenal has completed the signing of midfielder Maritin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad after triggering his $67 million release clause.
- New York City FC has reportedly signed midfielder Nicolas Fernandez from La Liga side Elche on a Designated Player contract.
Former Chicago Fire and Aston Villa forward Jhon Duran has reportedly joined Fenerbahce on a one-year loan six months after joining Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.
Seattle Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei was taken off the field in an ambulance just seconds before the end of stoppage time after taking a knee to the head by a Crew player as the match ended in a 1-1 draw.
That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 7/4/25
Orlando City prepares for Charlotte FC, USMNT and Mexico will face off in Gold Cup final, Diogo Jota dies in car accident, and more.

Happy Fourth of July! I don’t have many plans this holiday weekend and am hoping to get some needed rest over the next few days. There’s also a local brewery in my neck of the woods that sells canned cocktails that taste like the red, white, and blue popsicles that look like rockets [Ed. note: we think he means Bomb Pops], so I’m hoping to snag some of those to celebrate. Let’s get to the links!
Orlando City Readies for Charlotte FC
The Lions are back in action on Saturday night for a road game against Charlotte FC in one of the more enticing games in the league this weekend. Orlando fell 2-1 at home to FC Cincinnati on Saturday, while Charlotte heads into this game on a three-game losing streak. However, all three of those losses were on the road, and Charlotte boasts one of the better home records in the league. Orlando City Head Coach Oscar Pareja spoke on how the Lions will need to neutralize Charlotte and create chances in order to maintain distance between the two clubs in the Eastern Conference.
USMNT and Mexico Will Clash in Gold Cup Final
For the ninth time in the tournament’s history, the United States Men’s National Team and Mexico will square off in the Concacaf Gold Cup final. These two nations have won 17 of the past 18 Gold Cups and the U.S. beat Mexico 1-0 with a goal in extra time the last time they clashed in the final in 2021. It’s been a gauntlet for both teams to reach this point, and the U.S. has proven its mettle with a roster missing many of its usual stars. The final will take place on Sunday in Houston and should be an exciting match between the confederation’s best.
Diogo Jota Dies in Car Accident
Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva died in a car accident in Spain. Jota’s passing comes less than a month after his marriage to Rute Cardoso and he is survived by three children. The sports world mourned the loss, with clubs, managers, teammates, prime ministers, and fans showing an outpouring of support. There was also a moment of silence before the Women’s European Championship match between Spain and Portugal, and players wore black armbands during the match.
Club World Cup Quarterfinals Kick Off Today
The Club World Cup returns today with a pair of quarterfinal matchups, including a showdown between Fluminense and Al-Hilal in Orlando at 3 p.m. The expanded format for this year’s tournament has been a major boon for the Brazilian teams, as all four made the round of 16 and Fluminense and Palmeiras received $13 million for making the quarterfinals. Former Lion Facundo Torres and Palmeiras will take on Chelsea at 9 p.m. and Estevao Willian will be the player to watch, as it could be his last game with Palmeiras before he joins Chelsea following the tournament.
Free Kicks
- Former Lion Gaston Gonzalez is headed to Club Atletico Sarmiento on loan from Defensa y Justicia in Argentina’s top flight.
- San Diego FC players Alejandro Alvarado Jr. and Andres Reyes will miss the remainder of the 2025 season due to injury.
- Derby County and Charlotte FC have reportedly reached an agreement over the transfer of American forward Patrick Agyemang.
- Welsh midfielder Aaron Ramsey signed with Pumas UNAM in Liga MX. The Lions will host Pumas on July 30 in their first match of this year’s Leagues Cup.
- Spain kicked off its 2025 Euros campaign with a 5-0 win over Portugal that included four goals in the first half. Italy also won its first game, beating Belgium 1-0 thanks to a goal from Arianna Caruso.
That’s all I have for you today, Mane Landers. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!
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