Lion Links
Lion Links: 2/4/16
Oh Thursday, we meet again. Today is the fourth of the month, and that means you now have single-digit days to plan for Valentine's Day. So, switch things up from wine and cheese and move in a direction that includes chocolates, which are a classic, and Grand Marnier. The orange cognac gives a sweet citrus flavor to balance out the cocoa of a dark chocolate. Where else can you get prime Valentine's Day suggestions to go along with your soccer news? Brad's Food, Drink, and Footy Pairing can only be found here at The Mane Land.
Now, on to the links!
MLS Releases Strength of Schedule Rankings for the 2016 Season
Well, as it turns out, Orlando City has the fourth-easiest schedule according to MLS and, personally, I think it’s because they can’t play themselves. The Colorado Rapids have the hardest, and New York Red Bulls have the easiest, respectively.
Strength of schedule is calculated by taking the 2015 average points at home and on the road for each opponent. Each team in MLS faces its conference opponents two to three times and its out-of-conference opponents once. With a fully fit team and a relatively easy schedule, Orlando City could be primed to make a run towards the playoffs in its second MLS season, but that is not taking into account off-season changes for any team.
Harrison Heath, Tyler Turner and Tommy Redding Looking Forward to OCB Action
Paul Tenorio of the Orlando Sentinel has a great write-up of the opportunity that the trio of young Orlando City players is presented with by getting game minutes with the club's USL side this season. Harrison Heath talked told the media:
"I think it's a massive opportunity for all of us young guys … I think that [games in USL] can only improve myself and speaking for the other guys, too, game time is the most important thing for us, especially at this stage of our career. Training takes you so far, but that next step is getting game experience."
Given that Heath only played 136 minutes for Orlando City last season, the chance to get consistent game time would be exciting for any 19-year-old. Meanwhile, Turner is looking to rebound from a disappointing end to his 2015 season and Redding is looking to prove himself ready for future consideration with the MLS squad.
Collegiate Soccer to be Well-Represented by Orlando City Youth Players
Yesterday, SB Nation was abuzz with news of National Signing Day, and The Mane Land was no exception. Orlando City Youth players will be going to a wide variety of schools across the country. Abigail Foels, Alexandra Rost, and Logan Laskey will all be staying in the Orlando area playing for Rollins College. Meanwhile, another notable player, Mercedes Sapp — daughter of Warren — will be playing for the Mizzou Tigers. Best of luck to all of our young Lions and hopefully we get to see them return to the City Beautiful and continue to represent.
Orlando Pride Has its First Supporters' Club
Orlando has been greeted with its first NWSL supporters’ club. Joining the likes of the Iron Lion Firm, The Ruckus, and Harbor City Hooligans (OCB supporter’s group), The Crown hopes to carry on the passionate reputation of Orlando City fans for their clubs and their city. The club also announced that away viewing parties will take place at the Graffiti Junktion in Oviedo. Details on how to join the club can be found on its website.
U.S. Soccer Sues USWNT Players Association
The union representing the U.S. Women's National Team was sued Wednesday by U.S. soccer. Since legalese is not our forte, here's the basic premise:
U.S. Soccer sued the union representing the world champion United States women’s national team in federal court Wednesday, a sudden escalation of a labor fight over the team’s collective bargaining agreement.
In the lawsuit, U.S. Soccer, the national governing body for the sport, is seeking to have a court rule that the terms of the agreement â which expired in 2012 but has continued to be the guiding document over the relationship between the federation and star players like Hope Solo and Alex Morgan – remain valid.
The suit was filed "reluctantly" by U.S. Soccer.
Stu Holden Retires
The former USMNT and Bolton Wanderers midfielder is calling it a career after 11 years. Holden is hanging up his boots after an outstanding career that, unfortunately, has been cut short due to injury. Holden's final USMNT appearance was in the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup Final where he suffered a torn ACL. Holden's announcement came shortly after the birth of his daughter. We here at The Mane Land wish the new parents and baby all the best in the future, hopefully we get to see another Holden debuting for U.S. on the women's side in 2033 or 2037.
Free Kicks
Today in 1789, George Washington was unanimously elected as first president of the United States. Today’s birthdays include Rosa Parks who passed away in 2005, Alice Cooper is 68, Lawrence Taylor is 57, Oscar De La Hoya is 43, and Cam’ron is 40. Kaylyn Kyle wants you to follow your heart (no word on Earth, Fire, Wind, or Water); The Orlando Pride midfielder discussed symptoms of a heart attack and opened up the discussion with parents about taking care of their health. After Wednesday’s Antonio Nocerino hijinks, our Philadelphia Union site The Brotherly Game wrote on whether single-entity helps MLS GMs stay competitive. Besides having three Canadian clubs in MLS, the Canadian Premier League is almost a thing. Recent Chelsea addition and former New York Red Bull Matt Miazga made the club’s Champions League roster and, noticeably, Radamel Falcao was left off.
That's it for today. Play us out, Falcao!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/20/24
Orlando City’s 2025 MLS season schedule announced, MLS mock drafts, MLS clubs making moves, and more.
Happy Friday, Mane Landers! I finally have everything squared away after a week of hustling and bustling, meaning I can thankfully avoid the stores this weekend and just relax before next week’s chaos. I’m still trying to nail down what I’ll be cooking as my contribution for my family’s holiday dinner, but it should be fun trialing some options over the next few days. For now though, let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world!
Orlando City’s 2025 MLS Schedule Announced
MLS revealed the schedule for the 2025 season and Orlando City’s first game of the season will be at home against the Philadelphia Union on Feb. 22. Orlando has yet to start a season on the road since joining the league back in 2015. The Lions aren’t scheduled to play against expansion club San Diego FC this year, but they will play their first road game against St. Louis City on June 25. While a majority of Orlando’s games will be on Saturdays, they do have a pair of games on Sundays against Inter Miami, including a rivalry week showdown on May 18. Decision Day will be on Oct. 18, with the Lions on the road to take on Toronto FC to close out the regular season.
Predicting the 2025 MLS SuperDraft
The MLS SuperDraft is set to take place today and Top Drawer Soccer did a mock draft to predict how the first two rounds will go. Orlando City currently has the 27th pick in the first round and Top Drawer Soccer has them selecting defensive midfielder Jackson Castro out of Creighton. The pick makes enough sense to me, as Orlando lost some depth in its midfield following the 2024 season and Castro was Duncan McGuire’s teammate on a strong Creighton team a couple of years ago. The Lions were also predicted to take West Virginia winger Sergio Ors Navarro and Kentucky forward Logan Dorsey in the second round.
Travis Clark of MLSsoccer.com also did a mock draft of the first round, with Orlando taking Cornell winger Alioune Ka. Interestingly enough, both mock drafts have NCAA leading scorer Emil Jaaskelainen going in the first round after Orlando’s pick. I’m pretty excited to see how it all shakes out today and learn which players will become the latest Lions on the team.
MLS Transfer News Roundup
The off-season is bringing plenty of change across the league as teams continue wheeling and dealing in preparation for the 2025 season. The New England Revolution made a splash by trading away up to $3.25 million in General Allocation Money (GAM) to Miami in exchange for attacker Leonardo Campana. The 24-year-old should give a needed boost to a New England team that only scored 37 goals this season. As for Miami, it now has an MLS-trade record fee of $2.5 million in guaranteed GAM and an open Designated Player spot at its disposal.
The LA Galaxy traded away 2024 MLS Cup MVP Gastón Brugman and a conditional $100,000 in GAM to Nashville SC in exchange for midfielder Sean Davis. Brugman will help Nashville fill the gap left by Anibal Godoy, who joined San Diego FC as a free agent. FC Dallas also added a free agent, signing defender Lalas Abubakar to a two-year deal.
GAM Amounts Revealed for Each MLS Club
MLS pulled back the curtain a bit and unveiled the amount of General Allocation Money that each team had as of Dec. 10. Orlando City’s total comes in at $3,990,312, which is a pretty hefty amount that can be used to improve the team. Atlanta United’s $6,503,478 is the most in the league, while the Houston Dynamo are at the other end of the spectrum with just $2,063,538. The Campana trade helps put these amounts into perspective, but there are many uses for GAM and it’s interesting to see where each club stands. It’s also just nice to get some transparency from the league about this and hopefully that trend continues in 2025.
Free Kicks
- Concacaf announced that Saudi Arabia was invited as a guest nation for both the 2025 and 2027 Concacaf Gold Cup.
- The Kansas City Current bid farewell to goalkeepers Adrianna France and Almuth Schult. The club then announced that it signed goalkeeper Laurel Ivory to a one-year contract.
- The National Independent Soccer Association will reportedly no longer be sanctioned by the United States Soccer Foundation next year, which would leave MLS NEXT Pro and USL League One as the third-division leagues in the U.S.
- Tottenham beat Manchester United 4-3 to claim the final semifinal spot in the EFL Cup, with Son Heung-Min scoring directly from a corner kick. Tottenham will face off against Liverpool in the next round, with Newcastle and Arsenal squaring off in the other semifinal.
That’s all I have for you this time around. I wish you all a relaxing weekend and a very happy holidays!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/19/24
Preparing for the MLS SuperDraft, New York Red Bulls sign Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Tim Weah injured, and more.
How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve knocked out all of my shopping except for one gift I’m still trying to procure. I have a lead on it though and high hopes that I can get a literal bow on it before traveling to visit my family next week. For now though, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!
Getting Ready for the MLS SuperDraft
The 2025 MLS SuperDraft will take place on Friday and the league released the list of 477 eligible players clubs can choose from. This year’s Generation Adidas class includes Cornell forward Alex Harris, North Carolina left back Tate Johnson, Wisconsin forward Dean Boltz, and UC Santa Barbara defensive midfielder Manu Duah. Those players likely won’t be on the board by the time Orlando City’s 27th overall pick rolls around, but the team has proven in the past it isn’t afraid to make a trade for a top prospect.
Here’s a nice position-by-position breakdown of some of the best players available on Friday. I personally think Orlando could use some depth at center back, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the team rolls the dice on a center forward given its track record. Unfortunately, we’ll have to follow along with each pick on the league’s website rather than a stream.
MLS Transfer Roundup
After falling in the MLS Cup final earlier this month, the New York Red Bulls have added some firepower by signing Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting as a Designated Player. The 35-year-old heads to MLS after playing for Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Stoke City, and Schalke 04 over the past 10 years. The Red Bulls now have a fairly dangerous trio of Designated Players in Choupo-Moting, Emil Forsberg, and Dante Vanzeir.
Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference, the New England Revolution added midfielder Jackson Yueill as a free agent. The 27-year-old signed a three-year contract that includes options for 2028 and 2029. D.C. United traded away $150,000 in General Allocation Money to Nashville SC in exchange for defender Lukas MacNaughton. FC Dallas signed midfielder Ramiro Benetti, who has spent the past two seasons with Cruzeiro Esporte Clube in Brazil. Veteran defender Nick Lima has returned to the San Jose Earthquakes, signing a two-year contract with the club.
Keeping Up With the Americans Abroad
The injuries continue to rack up for the Americans, as Tim Weah will miss some time after sustaining a thigh injury earlier this week in Juventus’ win over Cagliari. In better news for Americans plying their trade abroad, forward Ricardo Pepi scored twice in PSV Eindhoven’s 8-0 win against Koninklijke HFC in the KNVB Cup. Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Liverpool are all reportedly interested in left back Antonee Robinson, who turned some heads with a pair of assists on Sunday.
EFL Cup Semifinals Nearly Set
The EFL Cup semifinals are setting up to be a heavyweight affair, with Liverpool, Arsenal, and Newcastle all advancing from the quarterfinals. The day belonged to Gabriel Jesus, who scored his first hat trick for Arsenal in a 3-2 win over Crystal Palace. Liverpool extended its unbeaten streak to 20 games across all competitions after a 2-1 win over Southampton, while Newcastle United beat Brentford thanks to a brace from Sandro Tonali. The final semifinalist will come from today’s match between Manchester United and Tottenham, with the draw taking place afterwards.
Free Kicks
- The NWSL Shield and Championship trophy paid a visit to WFTV’s studios, and it’s still a bit surreal that the Orlando Pride secured both pieces of silverware this season.
- The Columbus Crew announced that they will play Inter Miami in Cleveland at Huntington Bank Field rather than its home stadium next season. The “home” game is a good two-hour drive north and reportedly has no opt-out option for season ticket holders, so this decision has not gone over well with some Crew fans.
- Forward Lynn Williams is reportedly expected to be traded from NJ/NY Gotham FC to the Seattle Reign so that she can close out her career on her home coast.
- We now know the eight quarterfinalists for the Women’s Champions League, with the draw set for Feb. 7. The usual suspects like Barcelona, Wolfsburg, and Lyon all made it, which should make for an exciting knockout stage.
- Real Madrid beat Pachuca to win the Intercontinental Cup, giving Carlo Ancelotti his 15th title with the club.
- Here’s a look at the absurd amount of minutes players like Federico Valverde and Jules Kounde have logged this year. Just seeing those numbers makes my legs tired.
That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/18/24
Another report on the Facundo Torres transfer, Marta wins her own award, Becky Sauerbrunn retires, and more.
Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. For those that celebrate Christmas, we’re only a week out, so I hope you’ve gotten your shopping done. If not, no judgement from me, just encouragement. I know you can do it! I think we can all do with a little more encouragement these days. For now, let’s get to the links.
Torres Deal Done?
WESH is reporting that the Facundo Torres to Palmeiras deal is done. As of this writing, there has been no confirmation from either club, but it is reasonable to think where there’s this much smoke, there’s fire. Torres may have scored his last goal in purple, and will leave as the club’s all-time leader in that category after three seasons. According to the report, Torres signed a five-year deal with the Brazilian club. We will provide updates as information becomes available.
Marta Wins Marta Award
In the most appropriate award selection in history, Marta has won the inaugural FIFA award for the best goal in women’s soccer, aptly named The FIFA Marta Award.
The award winning goal came in Brazil’s international friendly against Jamaica in June, as the Brazilian made a nice move to clear a defender and then sent in a long-range shot. Check it out.
Marta received the award at FIFA’s “The Best” Award ceremony in Doha, Qatar.
USWNT Legend Becky Sauerbrunn Retires
Former USWNT captain Becky Sauerbrunn is retiring from professional soccer. The legendary defender has played in the NWSL in every year of it’s existence. She retires having won three championships, one NWSL Shield, multiple Women’s World Cups, and Olympic medals. Sauerbrunn is definitively one of the best to ever wear a U.S. jersey.
NWSL, MLS NEXT Pro Expand
The NWSL is entering into exclusive negotiations with a Denver-area group regarding the league’s next expansion franchise. Denver was picked above both Cincinnati and Cleveland. The expansion fee is in the $105-$120 million range.
MLS NEXT Pro is also adding another new team. Until a new name, logo, and brand are settled on, the team will be called West Michigan Soccer. The team will be the sixth independent club in MLS NEXT Pro. Orlando City B won’t have the opportunity to play the new team until 2027.
Free Kicks
- Torres’ goal against Nashville made it into a compilation of volleyed goals from the MLS Twitter account.
- Vitor Pereira will be the new coach of Wolverhampton Wanderers following the departure of former boss Gary O’Neil. Pereira will have his work cut out for him getting Wolves out of the relegation zone.
- Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk has been suspended after testing positive for a banned substance in a recent drug test. Mudryk stated he has never knowingly used such substances, and hopes an investigation will clear up the matter.
- The Washington Spirit have signed free agent midfielder Narumi Miura to a two-year contract. Miura spent the last two years with the North Carolina Courage.
- The Columbus Crew re-signed goalkeeper Evan Bush through the 2025 season.
- New name, same idea. The European Super League is back as the “Unity League.” A proposal has been submitted to UEFA and FIFA.
That will do it for today. Keep checking in as our Orlando City and Orlando Pride Season in Review pieces continue. Vamos Orlando!
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Orlando Pride2 weeks ago
Orlando Pride Announce Roster Decisions Following 2024 NWSL Season
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Orlando City1 week ago
2024 Orlando City Season in Review: Facundo Torres
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Orlando City2 weeks ago
2024 Orlando City Season in Review: Mason Stajduhar
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Podcasts2 weeks ago
PawedCast Episode 459: Orlando City Roster Decisions and Facundo Torres Gone?
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Orlando Pride6 days ago
2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Emily Sams
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Orlando City2 weeks ago
2024 Orlando City Season in Review: Javier Otero
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Orlando Pride2 weeks ago
2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Ally Watt
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Podcasts6 days ago
PawedCast Episode 460: Facundo Torres, Orlando City and OCB News, and More