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Lion Links: 8/11/16

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Guess what, Mane Landers? It isn't Friday — at least not yet. The good news, however, is that I'm making a cameo appearance in your morning Lion Links. Let's dig right in to the linky goodness I found for you today.

Check Out This Time-lapse of the new Stadium Being Built

Of course the first thought you had when you woke up this morning was, "I'd really like to see exactly how much progress has been on our new stadium during 2016." Well, good news for you, Mane Lander — the club provided a time-lapse video showing the progress from Jan. 1 through Aug. 9. How cool is this?

On a scale of 1-10, how pumped are you to see this thing next season?

People Actually Want the Chicago Fire?

Believe it or not, reports from Chicago Now suggest that three (holy crap, three?!?) groups are interested in buying the Fire, should current ownership decide to sell.

Despite the truly awful product the club has put on the truly awful pitch they play on in the stadium which they have a truly awful lease agreement with, investors see the growth potential in Major League Soccer — and want in, circumstance be damned.

Can Major League Soccer Go Country?

Some of Music City's biggest movers are coming together in an effort to bring MLS to Tennessee. The 22-member "coalition," as they're calling themselves, is headed up by Bill Haggerty, the former commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development under Republican Gov. Bill Haslam.

They have a USL team on the way, and believe it to be "cooperative" with their goal of MLS expansion. Stay tuned to this one.

U.S. U-15 GNT Beats Mexico, 1-0

The 2016 U-15 Girls' Championship brought us a thrilling 1-0 result when the United States defeated Mexico. Mexico controlled much of the match in the early stages, until Mia Fischel put the decisive goal in net in the 60th minute.

Gabrielle Robinson — who scored a tournament record five of the 22 goals this team poured on Trinidad & Tobago — didn't start, but did see some time after coming on in the 51st.

SB Nation Releases EPL Preview

With the Premier League season kicking off this weekend, we know a lot of you Mane Landers out there are excited for the competition that comes with England's top flight. SB Nation's blogs have collaborated to produce phenomenal results yet again with the 2016 season preview. Scroll through to get up to speed — and check out Andi Thomas' piece on parity in the league. Great stuff.

That will do it for my cameo here in Lion Links. Get out their and kick Thursday's ass, and remember Travis Stevens is a baaad dude.

Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/18/25

Justin Ellis named U-19 MLS NEXT MVP, Orlando Pride announce historic apparel collection, landing spots for USMNT players, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B

Happy Friday! It’s been a long week, but the weekend is nearly upon us. My parents are in town on vacation, so I’m looking forward to having an excuse to go out to brunch. It should be a nice few days with plenty of soccer to keep us all entertained. Let’s get to the links!

Justin Ellis Named U-19 MLS NEXT MVP

Orlando City B forward Justin Ellis was named MLS NEXT MVP for the U-19 age group after a stellar season that included 18 goals for the Lions. The 18-year-old was the top scorer of this year’s Generation Adidas Cup to help his team lift the trophy and helped the team reach the semifinals of the MLS NEXT Cup. In MLS NEXT Pro action, Ellis has recorded seven goals and three assists in 11 appearances for OCB. It’s quite the accolade for the forward and hopefully he can continue to make strides in his development to make an impact with the first team.

Orlando Pride Announce Full-Team Apparel Collection

The Orlando Pride became the first NWSL club to offer a merchandise line featuring every player on the roster after announcing a new apparel collection. The Pride, in collaboration with apparel brand 500 Level, will offer over 500 player-specific items to form the largest player collection across the major U.S. sports leagues. As someone who is usually a fan of the unsung heroes when it comes to sports, I think it’s pretty great that fans are now able to get apparel representing their favorite Pride player no matter who that is.

Ideal Transfer Landing Spots for USMNT Players

ESPN took a stab at identifying the best fits for United States Men’s National Team players with transfer buzz following the Concacaf Gold Cup. Orlando City right back Alex Freeman was listed but could need a bit more time solidifying his game with the Lions before big clubs come knocking. Midfielder Diego Luna had a strong tournament with the U.S. this summer and could fit in well with Celta Vigo’s rebuilding plans. As for other intriguing things to keep an eye on, a move to MLS could give Giovanni Reyna the playing time he desperately needs; Ricardo Pepi may be best off staying at PSV Eindhoven; and Marseille may be just what the doctor ordered for Tim Weah.

England Comes Back to Reach Euro Semifinals

England secured its spot in the Women’s European Championship semifinals in dramatic fashion, advancing on penalties against Sweden after a 2-2 draw. A pair of goals in the first half by Sweden had the Scandinavian nation on top for most of the match, but Lucy Bronze scored in the 79th minute, before 19-year-old substitute Michelle Agyemang scored the equalizer in the 81st. The penalty shootout included nine misses, but the defending champs prevailed in the end. It’s a brutal way for Peter Gerhardsson’s tenure as Sweden’s head coach to come to a close. England will face Italy in the semifinals on Tuesday.

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That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 7/17/25

Orlando City falls apart at home, Orlando Pride players in action abroad, Charlotte will host 2026 MLS All-Star Game, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Sometimes the Cardiac Cats are fun to watch, and other times they really do just stomp your heart into pieces. We’re unfortunately in the aftermath of the latter after Orlando City’s rough defeat last night. The good news is that the Lions can’t lose today as well. Let’s jump right into today’s links.

Orlando City Beaten by New York City FC

The Lions’ summer struggles continued with a disappointing 2-1 loss at home to New York City FC. Robin Jansson scored his first goal of the season, but Orlando collapsed late at home yet again, suffering from an own goal and a winner from Alonso Martinez in stoppage time. Orlando City is now winless in its past four games and has not won at home since May 24. There’s not much time to shake off this loss, as the Lions are back in action on Saturday for a tough road match against the New England Revolution.

Keeping Up With the Pride Players Abroad

Marta came off the bench and provided a pair of assists in Brazil’s dominant 6-0 win over Bolivia in the Copa America Femenina’s group stage. Kerolin had a hat trick and the result keeps Brazil at the top of its group for the time being. The Brazilians will be back in action on Tuesday to face Paraguay.

The CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals kick off on Friday with a great matchup between Zambia and Nigeria. Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji have each scored three goals this tournament and both were named to the Best XI of the group stage. Pride goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse likely won’t play, but England takes on Sweden today in the Women’s European Championship quarterfinals.

Charlotte Will Host 2026 MLS All-Star Game

MLS announced that Charlotte will serve as the host of the 2026 MLS All-Star Game, the 30th in the league’s history. Charlotte FC joined the league in 2022 and this will be the first time the event is held in Charlotte. It’s always nice to see a smaller market receive its day in the sun, and Charlotte has really embraced soccer over the years. But if Sir Minty doesn’t take part in the skills challenge next year, then what are we even doing?

D.C. United Hires Rene Weiler

Rene Weiler is officially the next head coach of D.C. United and will take over once he receives a U.S. work permit. The 51-year-old brings plenty of European experience to the nation’s capital and won the Swiss Cup with Servette FC last year. He replaces Troy Lesesne, who was fired by the club after its exit from the U.S. Open Cup earlier this month. It’s a new era for one of the league’s older clubs, and it will be interesting to see how aggressive D.C. will be to bring in talent during the upcoming transfer window.

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  • Argentine midfielder Rodrigo De Paul has reportedly agreed to terms with Inter Miami and could be with the club in time for the Leagues Cup. He also reportedly won’t need to take up a Designated Player spot this year, because of course.

That’s all I have for you this time around, Mane Landers. Stay hydrated and have a great Thursday!

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Lion Links: 7/16/25

Orlando City faces NYCFC, Marco Pasalic is an All-Star, OCB’s Jhon Solis transfers out, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It’s matchday in the City Beautiful as Orlando City hosts New York City FC in a crucial Eastern Conference bout. I know I’m in the minority, but I love Wednesday matches since I’m off work on Thursdays. That being said, if you have the opportunity, you should definitely head down to the match tonight. For now, let’s get to the links.

Lions Host the Pigeons

Orlando City welcomes New York City FC to Inter&Co Stadium tonight. The midweek match comes after a short turnaround following Saturday’s draw against CF Montreal. The Lions will need to get the offense back in gear to take all three points from NYCFC. Our own Ben Miller joined Hudson River Blue to answer questions for the opposition. Check back later today for our detailed preview of the match.

Pasalic is an All-Star

Marco Pasalic was named to the MLS All-Star squad by coach Nico Estévez. Pasalic joins Alex Freeman as the second Lion to represent Orlando City in the match. The MLS All-Stars will play a team of All-Stars from Liga MX. Pasalic is tied with Martin Ojeda for the team’s goal-scoring lead with 10. He also has four assists for the Lions. Pasalic is a worthy addition to the MLS All-Star Team, but it does beg the question why Ojeda didn’t also get an invitation.

So Long, Solis

Orlando City B has transferred midfielder Jhon Solis to Fortaleza C.E.I.F. of Liga BetPlay Dimayor — Colombia’s top tier. Solis made 70 appearances for the Young Lions since joining prior to the 2023 season. As a native of Medellín, Colombia, the 26-year-old is returning to his home country to continue his career. Solis wasn’t able to make the jump to Orlando City’s first team, but he was a consistent starter for OCB.

U.S. National Team News

Fresh off his appearances in the Concacaf Gold Cup, Patrick Agyemang has been transferred from Charlotte FC to Derby County in the English Championship. In sadder news, Aaron Long is out for the season after having surgery to repair a ruptured left Achilles.

On the women’s side, USWNT coach Emma Hayes has great praise for Sam Coffey and her presence in the U.S. midfield.

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That will do it for today. Check back later as we prepare you for tonight’s match, and don’t forget to follow The Mane Land on Bluesky to get match updates. Vamos Orlando!

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