Connect with us

Lion Links

Lions Links: 12/2/16

Published

on

Good morning folks, and happy birthday to Mason Stajduhar! As the tragedy revolving around Chapecoense still continues to sink in day by day, it is safe to say that I am extremely grateful for what I get to do here at The Mane Land, and you as readers make that happen so I thank you.

Before we get started, today is a big day for the second youngest player on the books for Orlando City SC. Happy birthday to Mason Stajduhar! Mason turns 20 today, and while he failed to make an MLS appearance in 2016, he has consistently been a feature at the national youth ranks.

Without further ado, let’s get to what you came here for.

Ruckus and Iron Lion Firm Come Together to Support Chapecoense

If you think you’ve cried enough since the news broke that Chapecoense lost almost its entire roster and staff in a plane crash, think again. Orlando City’s two biggest supporter groups joined in unison to honor those affected by the tragedy.

“This is the best way to translate our message, to let the world know today, let Chapecoense fans in Brazil know, that we stand with them. From our home to theirs, we’re all connected.” Fawner Mazo of the Ruckus said.

While the unity, love, and respect for one another across the globe was the last thing that any of us were thinking about when we got involved with soccer, it surely stands out as something that I’m proud of at times like these.

Rawlins Family Sleeps on Street to Raise Money for Homeless Youth

To stick to the theme of good deeds, we stayed in Orlando. OCSC co-founders Kay and Phil Rawlins joined the Covenant House in its annual Sleep Out: Executive Edition and slept outside on one of the coldest nights of the year.

With just a a box and a plastic bag, the couple spent the night on an old basketball court on East Colonial Drive hoping to raise awareness and money to give back to the community.

Thanks to the help of 52 other volunteers willing to trade in their warm, cozy bed for the cold, hard ground, the event raised more than $81,000 just in Orlando. As a whole, the Covenant House has been able to raise $6,447,372 across 18 cities in the United States and Canada through this event.

Alex Morgan Reportedly Visits Lyon

Alex Morgan could very well be leaving Orlando. After becoming the face of the Orlando Pride, there have been rumors swirling that Olympique Lyonnais has interest in signing Morgan. While Morgan’s husband, Servando Carrasco, plays in the same city in MLS for Orlando City, Lyon has had success luring talented Americans to France.

Megan Rapinoe, Hope Solo, and Aly Wagner have all been lured oversees by the club. Lyon owner Jean-Michel Aulas all but promised to sign an American player before the start of next season.

While there are plenty of hoops to jump through before Morgan could actually join the French club, it does seem that she is willing to entertain the idea. According to Romain Balland of Eurosport, Morgan at least visited the Lyon medical staff.

OCSC U-17/U-18 Academy Tops Sporting Kansas City

Despite falling behind 1-0 early, Orlando City SC Pro Academy bounced back to find an equalizer just three minutes later. From there, Orlando cruised to a 4-1 victory, finishing off Sporting KC with three unanswered goals.

17-year-old Raul Aguilera found the back of the net in the 34th minute which turned out to be the decisive goal. Mikael Martins, however, stole the show. With two goals in the run of play and the assist on Aguilera’s goal, Martins showed quality, poise, and even a poacher’s instinct to finish off a rebound for his first goal.

U.S. U-17 MNT Dominates Portugal

Who can forget this goal? It seems like just yesterday that the U.S. Men’s National Team was playing its way out of a group that consisted of Germany, Portugal, and Ghana on the world’s biggest stage. Given all that’s happened on the national soccer scene since then, it seems as though we are years, if not decades, away from memories as fond as this.

Our U-17 side might have something to say about that, however. To open up the 2016 Nike International Friendlies, they handed Portugal a 7-1 loss thanks to a hat trick from Josh Sargent, a brace from Andrew Carleton, and goals from Rayshaun McGann and Ayo Akinola.

Brad Guzan Could Return to MLS

According to FourFourTwo, Brad Guzan could potentially be the second USMNT goalkeeper to make the move back to MLS in a calendar year. Tim Howard was stellar in his return to the league and was the difference in the Colorado Rapids Western Conference Semifinal victory over LA Galaxy in penalties.

Similar to Howard, Guzan has found playing time hard to come by in the Premier League. Once featuring for Aston Villa, the USMNT back-up earned a move to Middlesborough. Unfortunately for Guzan, Boro also signed Victor Valdes who has held down the starting role from opening day.

Chivas USA drafted Guzan with the second overall pick in 2005 before he made the move to Villa in 2008. During his first stint in MLS, he earned Goalkeeper of the Year honors in 2007. As it stands, Chicago Fire would have first dibs on Guzan, but as of Dec. 10, Atlanta United and Minnesota United will move to the top of the allocation order. New York FC and and LA Galaxy are reportedly in the market for a starting goalkeeper as well.

That wraps things up for today. I hope that everyone has a great Friday! Check back later today for more Orlando City news.

Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/14/24

MLS playoff predictions, Barbra Banda and Marta earn recognition, USMNT takes on Jamaica tonight, and more.

Published

on

Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve been a bit under the weather this week, but it’s at least meant I’ve been able to spend more time with my cat and get some reading done when not hacking up a lung. But enough about that, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!

MLS Conference Semifinal Predictions

Former Orlando City captain Sacha Kljestan weighed in on which of the remaining eight teams will prevail in the MLS playoffs. He predicts that Atlanta United can lean on its counterattacking and Brad Guzan’s goalkeeping to beat Orlando City when the two rivals face off in Orlando on Nov. 24. A key thing to watch heading into the match is if Head Coach Oscar Pareja switches things up up top given Ramiro Enrique’s slump.

Kljestan predicts a tight match between New York City FC and the New York Red Bulls, but has NYCFC moving on. He also has both the LA Galaxy and LAFC advancing in the Western Conference, which would set up a playoff edition of El Trafico.

Pride Players Make ESPN’s Top 50

ESPN unveiled its annual list of the top 50 women’s soccer players and a pair of Orlando Pride players made the list. Forward Barbra Banda is ranked third on the list for crushing it in her first year in the NWSL, scoring 13 goals to help the Pride win the NWSL Shield. Marta, who has not been listed in the past two years, ranked 26th for turning back the clock at 38 years old and creating 46 chances for Orlando this season. Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati tops the list, with Naomi Girma in second, Caroline Graham Hansen in fourth, and Sophia Smith rounding out the top five. There are many voters for this year’s list from around the world, including Vice President of Soccer Operations and Sporting Director Haley Carter.

Steven Moreira Named Defender of the Year

The Columbus Crew’s Steven Moreira was named 2024 MLS Defender of the Year after a strong season. He made 27 appearances for the Crew this season and was a key part of his team’s success in the Concacaf Champions Cup and Leagues Cup this year. Moreira also helped out offensively with two goals and four assists and was an All-Star this year. The 30-year-old beat out Inter Miami’s Jordi Alba and Seattle Sounders center back Jackson Ragen for the award.

USMNT Takes On Jamaica Tonight

The United States Men’s National Team will play its first competitive match under Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino tonight when it takes on Jamaica in Kingston in the Concacaf Nations League. Although the U.S. may be favored in this series, playing on the road in Concacaf is always tough and Jamaica tends to keep things close against the Yanks. Tonight’s match is the first of the two-leg quarterfinals, with the two nations facing off again in St. Louis on Monday. Hopefully Pochettino can get the team firing on all cylinders as it continues to prepare for the 2026 World Cup.

Free Kicks

  • In a rollercoaster of a match, the U.S. Men’s Deaf National Team fell in a penalty shootout to Brazil in the Deaf Pan American Games. The U.S. took the lead in extra time, but Brazil battled back to tie it, winning from the spot to reach the final.

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

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/13/24

Orlando City’s international call-ups, Orlando Pride playoffs preview, NWSL Awards voting opens, and more.

Published

on

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Orlando City might have to wait a week to continue its playoff journey, but the Orlando Pride do not. The Kansas City Current are coming to town this Sunday for the third meeting between these NWSL heavyweights this year, and I will be there. I hope you will make it to Inter&Co Stadium to show this Pride club how much we appreciate all they have done this season in their final home match of the season. For now, let’s get to the links.

Lions on International Duty

Several Orlando City players received call-ups for this international break, including Facundo Torres for Uruguay. Additionally, the following also got the call: David Brekalo with Slovenia, Pedro Gallese and Wilder Cartagena for Peru, Dagur Dan Thorhallsson for Iceland, and Favian Loyola for Chile’s U-20 squad. All we can hope for is they all stay healthy and in form. Orlando City’s next opponent, Atlanta United, also had several players called up.

The NWSL Playoffs Continue

The Orlando Pride will face the fourth-place Kansas City Current this weekend after decimating the Chicago Red Stars Friday. There’s been a lot of drama between these two clubs, making this an intriguing semifinal match. The other match sees the second-place Washington Spirit take on third-place NJ/NY Gotham FC. While we get to enjoy seeing the Pride continue their NWSL playoff run, many clubs are now watching from home and working on next season’s campaign.

NWSL Award Voting Open

The NWSL has opened the “fans voting round” for its 2024 end-of-season awards. There are several Pride players who were named finalists, including Barbra Banda, Marta, Emily Sams, Kylie Strom, and Anna Moorhouse. Of course, Seb Hines is up for NWSL Coach of the Year in what should be a foregone conclusion. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get out there and submit your vote here. This is your chance to make a difference for Hines and these Pride players who have given so much this season.

Pepi is Ready

The USMNT will play its first competitive match under Mauricio Pochettino against Jamaica Thursday night in the first leg of a Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal series. The U.S. doesn’t have a ton of options at forward, meaning Ricardo Pepi will likely get the start. The PSV striker said he feels he’s “ready to be the man.” It’s been years since anyone locked down the starting role up top for the USMNT. Let’s hope that Pepi is indeed ready.

Free Kicks

  • In unsurprising news, Charlotte FC’s Kristijan Kahlina was named 2024 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year. Orlando fans are all too familiar with how good Kahlina is in goal. Honestly, Khalina is a very deserving winner.
  • England’s squad will look very different this international window with eight players out due to injury, including Bukayo Saka and Cole Palmer.
  • The UScpMNT match scheduled for today has been postponed due to inclement weather.
  • Coventry City has its eye on Frank Lampard as a possible replacement for Mark Robins as manager.
  • We have unfortunately seen the last of Memphis 901 FC. It is a sad day, as we’re unlikely to see such a cool name with whatever Santa Barbara comes up with.
  • We’re sad to share that FC Cincinnati’s Marco Angulo passed away as a result of injuries sustained in a car accident. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and teammates.
  • Finally, I leave you with Ally Watt solving a Rubik’s Cube.

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the Pride’s playoff match against the Kansas City Current. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 11/12/24

Examining Orlando City’s playoff path, what to watch in the Concacaf Nations League, Lily Yohannes declares for the U.S., and more.

Published

on

Image courtesy of Orlando City / Jeremy Reper

Happy Tuesday, everyone! The weekend couldn’t have gone much better for Orlando’s soccer teams, as both Orlando City and the Orlando Pride advanced after their respective playoff games, with the Pride dominating Chicago and the Lions getting a late, dramatic equalizer before winning the penalty shootout. The Pride will return to action Sunday against the Kansas City Current, while the Lions have a slightly longer layoff before they take on Atlanta United. As usual, we have plenty to discuss this morning, so let’s get into the links.

Orlando City’s Playoff Path

It was a wild weekend for the MLS playoffs as far as the Eastern Conference was concerned, and a slew of upsets suddenly means that the path to the MLS Cup final in the Eastern Conference goes through Orlando. The Lions are the highest remaining seed in the East, and not only will they host Atlanta Nov. 24, but they would also host the Eastern Conference final, should they come out victorious. Oscar Pareja spoke after the game about not wanting the victory over Charlotte FC to be the end of the playoff journey, and says the team intends to chase the MLS Cup. If Orlando does make it that far, the team wouldn’t be likely to host the match, as it would require Minnesota United to come out of the Western Conference in order for the final to be held in Orlando. Stranger things have happened though.

What to Watch For With the USMNT

It seems like we just had an international break, but here we are again with two more United States Men’s National Team games on the docket. These are two important games, as the USMNT squares off against Jamaica in the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals. Besides the obvious chance to advance to the semifinals, there are plenty of other storylines to keep an eye on. With Josh Sargent and Folarin Balogun both absent due to injury, can Ricardo Pepi seize an opportunity to lay claim to the starting striker role? What sort of impacts can Brendan Aaronson and Weston McKennie have in the midst of good starts to the season for their clubs? Last, but certainly not least, is Christian Pulisic, who has had a fantastic start to the season and will have many eyes on him in the first competitive matches under Mauricio Pochettino.

Lily Yohannes Chooses the United States

The United States Women’s National Team has landed a great young talent, as Lily Yohannes announced on Monday that she has chosen to represent the U.S. over the Netherlands. While she was born in Virginia, Yohannes has lived abroad since the age of 10, making her eligible to play for either country. However, she stated that with the United States being her country of birth, as well as where her extended family lives, she decided to commit to representing Emma Hayes’ team. Yohannes made her debut for Ajax’s senior side in November of last year, and has seven goals in 40 appearances for the Dutch team.

Transfer Rumor Roundup

As always, the transfer rumor mill continues to turn, which means we have plenty of things to catch up on. We start with Major League Soccer itself, where FC Cincinnati’s Luciano Acosta has said he may have played his final game for the club. He cited frustration with falling short of silverware as a possible reason for wanting to move on, so he may change his mind once the sting has faded more. Moving to Spain, Barcelona is reportedly monitoring Eintracht Frankfurt’s Omar Marmoush as an option to replace the aging Robert Lewandowski. Arsenal and Manchester United are said to be interested in Leroy Sane, and will pursue him hard if contract talks with Bayern Munich don’t progress well.

Free Kicks

  • NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman had some friendly words for the Orlando Pride.

That does it for me today. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Trending