Lion Links: 4/17/16

Good morning, Lions fans! Last night was not great for OCB. But…there is so much soccer to be excited about today: the Pride open their season in Portland and Orlando City plays the New England Revolution at home. So, put on your purple, kick back, and check out these links while you wait for the festivities to begin. Also, The Mane Land would like to say Happy 21st Birthday to Cyle Larin, we hope this year is even better than the last!

Now let's head to the links!

OCB Falls to Harrisburg City Islanders 1-0

Not much to see here. OCB fell to 0-3-1 in its inaugural season, losing 1-0 to the Harrisburg City Islanders at the Titan Sports Complex. Oh yeah, the team also picked up two red cards…and Lewis Neal did this:

Check out Sean Rollins' game recap here.

Orlando City to Make Game-Time Decisions on Injured Players

Recently, Orlando City has been without key players Cyle Larin (hamstring), Cristian Higuita (groin), Tommy Redding (concussion), and Pedro Ribeiro (back) due to various injuries. Head coach Adrian Heath hoped that all the Lions would be back and heathy in time for today’s game against New England. As game time draws nearer, it seems as if that is less than likely to happen. Cyle and Cristian have yet to see time on the training pitch and are unlikely to see any playing time. Though Tommy has been training with the team for a few days now, it is unclear whether or not he will start, or come on as a substitution. “So, we’ll see how they are and we’ll probably decide even on the day of the game,” said Heath when asked about how he would decide if they would receive playing time. If Larin does not play, veteran Brazilian striker Julio Baptista will likely take his place, which will be his first significant minutes and first home game since arriving in Orlando.

Orlando Pride Sign Dani Weatherholt

On the eve of opening day for the National Women’s Soccer League, the Orlando Pride announced the signing of Dani Weatherholt, the Pride’s third pick in the NWSL 2016 College Draft. Hailing from Santa Clara University, Weatherholt excelled in the midfield, scoring 10 goals and appearing in 86 games. She received numerous accolades for her time as a Bronco and helped her team reach the second-round of the NCAA Tournament twice. During preseason, Weatherholt trained with the Pride to solidify her spot on the roster, as the last signing before the season officially begins, the work might have just paid off. Look for her and the rest of the Pride as they take on the Portland Thorns tonight in Oregon. The game begins at 10:00 PM ET and can be streamed on the NWSL official Youtube channel.

The Pride Train With Nike

Speaking of the Pride, during their time in Portland, the ladies took some time to train at Nike headquarters where they were welcomed with some new gear and great training facilities ahead of tonight's game.

Orlando City Continuing to Capture Supporters

Five weeks into the season and support for Orlando City SC is at an all time high. With three teams currently playing, fans are surround by purple everywhere they turn in Orlando. The scope of Orlando City continues to grow, as supporters’ groups are popping up in countries throughout South America and Europe. So, how is it that Orlando has become the “Soccer Capital of the Southeast”? And how is it that they have seemed to capture an entire city, uniting us together for the first time since the Orlando Magic made it to the NBA finals? Perhaps it is the connection between the players and fans, providing a since of familiarity with everyone watching. Maybe it is the culture that has been created as a result of international players, or maybe it is because the city of Orlando finally has a team to call its own. Regardless, the fans of Orlando City continue to make waves as they fill the bowl for both MLS and NWSL games. Not sure what the hype is all about? Come join us as we bleed purple this afternoon against the New England Revolution.

That's it for today, but stay tuned as The Mane Land will bring you all the updates on today's games.