Lion Links: 10/11/16

Tuesday has once again rolled around, however this time there’s a reward. We are once again heading into a game week as Orlando City takes on the Philadelphia Union on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET. So without further ado, here is your daily digest of soccer information that you need to know.

Dropping Like Flies

Early yesterday, Orlando Sentinel reporter Alicia DelGallo reported that Brek Shea was out of training due to a foot injury:

Shea joins defender David Mateos on the sidelines after he tore his MCL against the Montreal Impact and is a blow for Jason Kreis as his team heads into the offseason and the game against Philadelphia.

Still Things to Play For

Orlando City may be out of the playoffs, but with a huge roster churn expected for this team in the off-season, there is still a lot to play for in the next two games. One person who is hoping to get the opportunity is Earl Edwards Jr., who has been stuck behind goalkeeping stalwart Joe Bendik this season on the depth chart and needs to get some minutes to make sure he makes the Lions roster for 2017 and to continue his development.

McDonough: Atlanta's Ace in the Hole?

It’s less than a week until the Expansion Priority Draft takes place to decide who, out of Atlanta United FC and Minnesota United FC, will receive the top pick in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft. One person who has been through all this before, and fairly recently, is former Orlando City GM Paul McDonough, who is now the GM for Atlanta United. His experience will be invaluable for Atlanta United in the various player acquisition methods that will need to be used to build the MLS roster as it approaches its inaugural season.

USMNT vs. New Zealand

The U.S. takes on New Zealand in a friendly this evening at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. The roster is expected to be a mix of fresh faces such as Kellyn Acosta and Paul Arriola, alongside perennials such as Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore. One player who will also be hoping to make the field is Sunderland midfielder Lynden Gooch, who was called up for the first time for this group of friendlies, and was recently recognized as one of the fastest players in the Premier League. Make sure to return later today to read The Mane Land’s ‘How to Watch’ preview for tonight’s game.

Free Kicks

• MLS recaps the top five mid-seasons trades of this season.
• RSL signs Yura Movsisyan to a permanent deal.
• Paris Saint-Germain seeks to sign Barcelona forward Neymar for €222 million, while Lionel Messi says he will re-sign for the Catalan side on one condition.
• Wales has been trolling the world with the side’s pre-match team photos.
• Tommy Redding started, but the U-20 USMNT lost 2-0 to England:

Well, that is all for today, and since I missed out on celebrating National Taco Day on last week's links, in honor of the less official Taco Tuesday, leave us some good taco recipes in the comments.