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Lion Links: 10/2/16

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Happy match day, Lion Nation! Our lads in purple will be in action at home against the Montreal Impact on the MLS side at 1 p.m., and our reserve squad is in New Jersey to take on the New York Red Bulls’ reserve squad, NYRBII, at 4 p.m. It has the potential to be a huge day for the club but it could also be…well…not good.

Not only will NYRBII be incredibly difficult for OCB to beat, but those jerks in Kansas City and Toronto lost last night to New England and D.C. United, respectively, so there is absolutely no margin for error. The MLS Lions must win out and get help along the way in order to make the 2016 postseason. That has to start this afternoon against the Impact.

But let’s think positive thoughts. Stop by The Mane Land’s mixer, grab a beverage, and get to know your fellow TML readers. And let’s dive into your match day links.

Kreis Appreciates Clarity of Orlando City’s Situation

In this ESPN FC piece, Lions Head Coach Jason Kreis talked about how the situation his team finds itself in does make life a little simpler. There’s no more worrying about if the club can just get this number of points on this road trip or that point total during a stretch of three matches in nine days. Everything from here on out is cut and dried. From the article linked above:

"If there's one thing that I really like about this game, it's that the immediate incentive is really clear. We have to get three points. You know, you go through a season saying, 'Well, we have to get these three points' or 'We really need that point on the road' or 'performance this' or 'performance that' … No. This one's really clear. We have to get three points or our season will be over."

It’s kind of like how Littlefinger in Game of Thrones must feel, knowing that if one of his machinations goes awry, he’ll lose his head and that’s that. There’s probably some kind of freedom in that knowledge, but I’ll bet Kreis would still prefer to be above that red line. Well, you never know. Let’s play those games and see how it goes.

Impact out for Revenge Today

The Lions are 2-0 against Montreal this season with a win in each team’s home grounds. Orlando City will need a sweep of the three-game series to stay in the hunt, while the Impact will try to seek revenge for the two prior losses.

"Well I think the fact that they beat us both times, and beat us at home, is obviously something that we're conscious of," Montreal head coach Mauro Biello said after practice in Montreal on Friday. "They came into our stadium and beat us and now is an opportunity for us to pay them back. We know it's going to be a difficult game. They're a team that's fighting for their lives, and we have to be ready for everything."

Meanwhile, in the same article, Impact goalkeeper Evan Bush thinks Orlando might be easy pickings since the Lions have to play for three points.

"You play teams three times a year so you can get revenge on anybody at any point. So we've struggled with them obviously in the past, the home game here and down there. We've had some close games but couldn't pull it out in the end, and they're a good team. They give us trouble but we're excited for that challenge and we know that they're going to throw everything at us because they need full points so as long as we can absorb some blows and weather the storm, you know, I think we'll be able to find chances ourselves."

Yes, Orlando needs full points but if Evan Bush checks out the standings, I don’t think Montreal can afford to play for the draw, either. The Impact are just above the red line, two points behind the suddenly surging Revolution and now behind D.C. United. New England, Columbus, and Orlando City could all still finish ahead of the Impact if they’re content to try to play for a point.

Impact Defense Shorthanded Tonight

Montreal has some key back line personnel missing for today’s match-up against Orlando City. Defenders Hassoun Camara and Victor Cabrera will miss today’s game due to suspension, while fullback Donny Toia’s season continues to be marred by injuries. This could help the likes of Cyle Larin, Kaká, Matias Perez Garcia, and Kevin Molino. But Laurent Ciman, one of the league’s best center backs, will still be in the lineup. Orlando must take advantage of Montreal’s makeshift back line today if the Lions are going to keep their faint playoff hopes alive. Wandrille Lefevre, Ambroise Oyongo and rookie Kyle Fisher are expected to step in to fill the holes for the Impact.

Playing Games: Great Career Move

Next time someone in your life nags you about playing games online, just tell them you’re preparing for a career change. This Guardian piece tells the story of how Matt Neil’s obsession with playing Football Manager turned into a career in soccer in real life. Neil is working in League Two in England as the lead first-team analyst with Plymouth Argyle. The story linked above quotes Neil telling his story.

I’ve always played Football Manager. My greatest achievement was having a stadium named after me at Huddersfield. If I looked at the hours I’ve played over the past five years or so, I’d be quite worried to be honest. It’s around 600 to 700 hours a year. The time just flies; you don’t notice when you’re playing it. I’ve never managed Plymouth because after becoming a researcher it feels like I know too much. I know every single piece of data for all the players and everything that’s hidden in the background of the game. It makes it too easy.

Check out his interesting story and keep playing those games.

Well folks, that’s all I’ve got for you this morning. Please check back later for coverage of Orlando City vs. Montreal Impact, and OCB at New York Red Bulls II. Your how to watch/match thread posts for both will drop later.

Play me out, Dimitry Payet:

Lion Links

Lion Links: 12/20/24

Orlando City’s 2025 MLS season schedule announced, MLS mock drafts, MLS clubs making moves, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

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

  • 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!

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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.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

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.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 12/18/24

Another report on the Facundo Torres transfer, Marta wins her own award, Becky Sauerbrunn retires, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride

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.

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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