Lion Links: 7/21/16

Happy Thursday, everyone, This week, the Pride face the Reign and OCSC takes on the Columbus Crew. Both matches are away so no soccer is gonna be held here in the City Beautiful this weekend (OCB do take on the Wilmington Hammerheads Sunday night in Melbourne though). I don't know of any culinary dishes from Ohio that are safe for human consumption, so I'll focus more on the Pride and their match-up with Seattle. Seattle is famous for its coffee and seafood, so, My recommendation would be a coffee-rubbed grilled salmon matched with my usual choice, a Pino Noir.

Now, on to the news!

Jason Kreis Introduced as Head Coach of Orlando City Soccer Club

Yesterday, in a press conference, new Orlando City Head Coach Jason Kreis and President Phil Rawlins discussed the future of the club and the direction Kreis will bring, along with new assistant coaches CJ Brown and Miles Joseph. Bobby Murphy and OCB coach Anthony Pulis will remain on staff under Kreis. Kreis’ resume in MLS stands for itself. He’s a former MLS MVP and stands fifth on the all-time goals scored list (305 apps, 108 goals). As a coach, he won an MLS cup with Real Salt Lake and took RSL to a CONCACAF Champions League Final. Kreis will have his first league match as head coach on July 31 against the New England Revolution.

Kaylyn Kyle is Candid on Her Future With the Canadian Women’s National Team

Orlando City midfielder and CanWNT veteran Kaylyn Kyle was not called up to be a part of the primary roster for her country in this year's Olympics. Instead, she was selected as an alternate and will remain with the Pride unless her national team needs her. Kyle had the following to say:

"If needed and called upon I can go into camp game-fit and game-ready instead of kind of just being like a practice player right now. I think it was incredible of John (Herdman, CanWNT coach) to allow me to do that and allow me to stay game-fit. He knows how I am as a person and as a player obviously."

In the absence of the Pride’s Olympians, Kyle has stepped up her leadership role and took the captain’s armband from Becky Edwards when she was subbed off against Chicago last week and even shifted back from her more natural position in the midfield to center back.

2015 Women’s World Cup Physical Statistics Released

The Physical Statistics (i.e. player fitness info) from the 2015 Women's World Cup have been released and USWNT midfielder Lauren Holliday covered more ground than any other player in the tournament, with a total distance of 12.718 Kilometers (that's close to eight miles) in seven matches. The USWNT also covered ground at more than 16 kilometers per hour and was one of the top teams in the "sprint" category, covering ground at more than 20 kilometers per hour.

Union's Pappas Pleads Guilty to Fraud

One of the Philadelphia Union’s TV announcers pleaded guilty to receiving nearly $500,000 in kickbacks for filing unnecessary prescription drug scripts for himself and others. Peter Pappas plead guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit health fraud. Pappas was a former goalkeeper for the Philadelphia Kixx, an indoor soccer team, and had worked for the Union as their TV analyst since 2013.

Free Kicks

Today's birthday's include former U.S Attorney General Janet Reno, who turns 78, Yusuf Islam, the former Cat Stevens, is 68, SNL's Jon Lovitz turns 59, actor Josh Hartnett is 38, and Los Angeles Clippers Center DeAndre Jordan is 28…Zidane says everyone loves Pogba…Mario Götze is heading back to Borussia Dortmund, which, okay…and finally, a Missouri couple were found naked on a stolen lawnmower.

That's it for today!

Play us out, Jerome Boateng!