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Lion Links: 11/30/16

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Good morning, Mane Landers.

Yesterday was a somber day for our sport, so let's get started right away.

Tragedy Strikes Brazilian Squad

As I am sure most of you now know, there was a plane crash in Colombia that killed 71 people. The aircraft was flying the Chapecoense football team, a club playing in Brazil’s top league. A majority of the squad was aboard, with three players surviving the crash as well as three players who did not fly with the team. The team was en route to play the first leg of the 2016 Copa Sudamericana Final against Atlético Nacional, a Colombian team. The Copa Sudamericana is South America’s version of Europa League.

There were nine crew members and 68 passengers in all on the flight, which included the squad and journalists. The crash occurred late Monday night near the Colombian city of La Unión. One of the survivors was a flight attendant, who stated that the aircraft ran out of fuel. It took a while for rescue teams to get to the wreckage, as there was a heavy amount of fog. It was not until a few hours after the crash occurred that the survivors were able to reach the hospital. There were seven initial survivors, however, one died after reaching the hospital.

Chapecoense has been compared to Leicester City, as just five seasons ago the club was playing in Brazil’s third tier. Atlético Nacional, asked that the championship be awarded to Chapecoense. CONMEBOL has suspended all of its related activities. Many clubs and players across the footballing world, including Orlando City, have reached out and expressed their condolences to the Brazilian team.

My deepest condolences go out to all of those affected by the plane crash that claimed all those lives. That is something that is always heartbreaking, especially when it involves a sports team that many people idolize and look up to. The response to what happened has been amazing. Brazilian teams wanting to give Chapecoense players free on loans as well as granting the club immunity from relegation for three years. Everyone with a connection to football, whether it be players, teams, coaches, or fans, have all reached out to show their support for the Brazilian club.

It is sad day in football, but life must go on.

Orlando City Reacts to Plane Crash

Orlando City has many connections to Brazilian football; and players and staff have been expressing their sorrow for Chapecoense and all those affected by the aforementioned plane crash. Kaká, the team’s Brazilian captain, posted on Instagram, saying, "I wake up with sad news, my heart is now praying" in Portuguese. CEO of Orlando City, Alex Leitão, another Brazilian, tweeted, "It is a very sad day for soccer[.]" The club changed its Twitter profile picture to that of the Chapecoense badge. And Vice President of Communications Diogo Kotscho stated that he knew some of the people who were on the plane and expressed his sorrow as well. Orlando City and its members are just a small amount of all of those who have honored the Brazilian club. Today, there were many moments of silence before matches, including both English Football League Cup matches.

Former Lions Head Coach Named Minnesota United Manager

Adrian Heath has officially been named the head coach of Minnesota United FC. The former Orlando City SC coach was clearly the front runner for the job and it was made official on Tuesday. Heath was coach of the Lions for their inaugural season back in 2015, and will be coach for Minnesota’s inaugural season as well. The Englishman spent his entire playing career in England, except for one season when he played for La Liga side Espanyol. Heath spent some time managing in England before coming to America. He had a lot of success coaching Orlando City in the USL. When Orlando City was granted an expansion franchise in MLS, he got the job. However, he was sacked by Orlando in the midst of the 2016 season in July, after winning only four of the first 16 games of the season.

Heath spoke to FourFourTwo's Paul Tenorio about his departure from Orlando.

"I thought the circumstances of me losing my job were disappointing," Heath said, in his first public comments about the firing. "The things that came out were really disappointing. I think what I had done for the job warranted more than three lines on the website. That was my disappointment. When I look back I'm really proud of what I did in Orlando. I don't think it was a failure at any stage."

Former Lion Ian Fuller, who also assisted the gaffer with Orlando City, will be on Heath's staff in Minnesota.

Larin a Finalist for 2016 Canadian Player of the Year

Orlando City striker Cyle Larin is one of seven MLS players on the shortlist for Canada’s Men’s Player of the Year for 2016. Other candidates include Vancouver Whitecaps defenders David Edgar and Marcel de Jong, Toronto FC’s Jonathan Osorio and Tosaint Ricketts, FC DallasTesho Akindele, and Montreal Impact midfielder Patrice Bernier. The winner will be announced in December. Larin led Orlando with 14 goals in 2016 and added his first three MLS assists as well. Good luck, Cyle.

U.S. Women Ousted From U20 World Cup

The U.S. Women’s U20 National Team has been knocked out of the U20 World Cup in Papua New Guinea after losing 2-1 to North Korea in the semifinals. After going down 1-0 in the 50th minute, the U.S. tied it up in the 89th minute when Natalie Jacobs placed a nice volley over the goalkeepers head. The excitement of a last-minute, game-tying goal was quickly undone when North Korea scored 48 seconds into extra time. The Americans were unable to find another equalizer and the match finished 2-1. The U.S. will play in the third place game against Japan, which lost to France in the other semifinal match.

That is all for me today. I hope you have a great Wednesday! Please continue to keep all those affected by the plane crash in your thoughts and prayers. And give the ones you love a little extra strong hug today.

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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