Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/13/16

Happy Tuesday morning, Lions fans. If you're anything like me, you are stressing about college exams this week, and if not, may I say enjoy this period of relaxation. As I take time to write these links I am avoiding studying, so whether you are like me and need a break from the stress, or are simply looking to fill those 10 minutes in between phone calls in the office, I hope you enjoy these links.
Harsh Words from Harrison Heath
Former Orlando City player Harrison Heath had some harsh words to share regarding his trade to Atlanta United. Heath was most notably known for being the son of former Head Coach Adrian Heath, and after the elder Heathโs departure from Orlando, Harrison failed to get minutes under the new coach, leaving him a bit bitter.
โThere is some sort of loyalty that exists after eight years of building the whole franchise, and I think the way that it was done, the way that he found out, was very, very poor. โฆโThis isnโt me being bitter about anything. Ultimately I think my dadโs in a better place and I think I am, as well. But itโs sad to see. Iโve been around the club since I was 12 years old and watched my dad put every ounce of effort to make the club what it is. And itโs sad to see people come into the club that donโt have that connection to the club and donโt have that belief in the club in what it was made of. Itโs sad to see where the club is headed.โ
Jozy Altidore Named U.S. Male Player of the Year
The United States Menโs National Team announced that forward Jozy Altidore is the 2016 Male Player of the Year. Altidore beat out Michael Bradley, Bobby Wood, Clint Dempsey, and Geoff Cameron to win the award for a second time. In 2016, Altidore scored six goals with two assists in 10 matches for the U.S., and he also scored 21 goals in 38 matches for his club team, Toronto FC. The winner of Young Male Player of the Year was also announced during the MLS Cup, with the title going to Christian Pulisic. As the youngest to ever play in a World Cup qualifier for the USMNT, Pulisic burst onto the scene, scoring three goals in 11 games as a midfielder. The winner for the womenโs award will be announced later today.
Watch U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year @JozyAltidore's body of work for the #USMNT in 2016. https://t.co/NdgzVVOo7B pic.twitter.com/kBQzhnSfKL
— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) December 12, 2016
Cristiano Ronaldo Nabs Fourth Ballon dโOr
Earlier this week, Cristiano Ronaldo received word that he had been declared the winner of the coveted Ballon dโOr trophy. This is the first year that the award has been presented to the winner separate from FIFA, which instead chose to present a new award in Zurich on Jan. 9. The Ballon dโOr, considered the highest honor for any soccer player, is voted on by 173 journalists from around the world. This is Ronaldoโs fourth time winning the award, second most to Lionel Messi. He scored 38 goals in his 42 matches with Real Madrid and 19 goals in 20 games for Portugal. Since winning his first trophy back in 2008, Ronaldo and Messi have been the only players awarded the Ballon dโOr. The guy who won it in 2007? Some dude named Kakรก.
๐๐โฝ
ยกFelicidades a @Cristiano por ganar su cuarto Balรณn de Oro!#HalaMadrid #RealMadrid pic.twitter.com/JgwhkDYfAZ— Real Madrid C. F. (@realmadrid) December 12, 2016
U.S. Soccer to Host First Goalkeeper and Forward Camp
U.S. Soccer has announced that it will be hosting a one-of-a-kind camp to close out 2016, inviting goalkeepers and strikers to train together in Carson, CA. The roster is made up of female players born in 2000, 2001, and 2002, with 23 strikers and seven goalkeepers. The coaching staff is made up of USWNT technical director April Heinrichs, U-15 girls Head Coach Mark Carr, and former national team players Heather OโReilly, Lori Chalupny, Jill Loyden, Nicole Barnhart, and many more. The camp will be held from Dec. 14-17.
That is all I have for today, now itโs back to cram studying for my exams, wish me luck and have a great day!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 11/30/23
Orlando City faces big questions, Matt Miazga suspended, Emma Hayes meets USWNT for first time, and more.

November is finally coming to a close. It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster of a month for me, with highs, lows, and many things in between. All in all, I’m pretty glad it’s nearly over, although I expect December to be similarly hectic. At least this weather is allowing me to break out some winter clothes and turn on the fireplace in this new apartment. I’m not sure why a fireplace was installed in a Floridian apartment, but I’m not complaining. Let’s dive into today’s links!
Big Decisions Await Orlando City
With Orlando City’s season over, attention now turns to a critical off-season for the club. Head Coach Oscar Pareja is out of contract after leading the Lions to the playoffs for the past four years. The club will also need to decide if it will exercise the 2024 options on the contracts of both Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations and General Manager Luiz Muzzi and Technical Director and Assistant General Manager Ricardo Moreira. All three have orchestrated Orlando’s transformation that’s included winning its first trophy, having its best season this year, and qualifying for both the Concacaf Champions League and Champions Cup. Potentially transferring Facundo Torres to Europe, filling the empty Designated Player slot, and deciding which players to bring back for 2024 are also on the agenda. However, figuring out who will lead the Lions into this exciting next chapter is paramount. Personally, I think the club should do everything in its power to keep the people who brought Orlando to this point.
Matt Miazga Suspended for Three Games
FC Cincinnati will be without MLS Defender of the Year Matt Miazga for Saturday’s Eastern Conference final, as he was suspended by MLS for three games due to his misconduct after the match with the New York Red Bulls on Nov. 4. Miazga was also fined an undisclosed amount and will undergo a behavioral assessment as part of the league’s Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health Program. Following that aforementioned playoff match, reports surfaced that Miazga gained unauthorized access to an area reserved for the referees and acted aggressively. Any suspended games not served during Cincy’s playoff run will carry over into the 2024 season, although Miazga can petition for a reduction based on compliance with recommended treatment plans.
Emma Hayes Meets With USWNT Players and Staff
Emma Hayes, who was hired as the next United States Women’s National Team Head Coach earlier this month, made the trip to Florida to meet the team for the first time. Although she won’t be coaching the team for its upcoming pair of friendlies against China, she collaborated with interim head coach Twila Kilgore on the latest training camp roster and will continue to work with her until taking over in May. There won’t be much time between Hayes’ official start date and the 2024 Summer Olympics, making these moments of face time between player and future coach all the more important. USWNT captain Lindsey Horan spoke on the team’s goals after meeting Hayes for the first time.
โThereโs so much talent in this team, and I donโt think the world has seen enough of it yet just because we need to go out and show it,โ Horan said. โWe need to be able to mesh together and show everything that we have, and what weโre all about, and how we can really collaborate and play together โ be more of a team and be a powerhouse again.
โItโs going to be exciting for us to have her and see what she can do with this team and how she can help us moving forward.โ
Ricardo Pepi Sends PSV Into Champions League Knockout Stage
PSV Eindhoven clinched its spot in the next round of the UEFA Champions League in dramatic fashion, with American forward Ricardo Pepi scoring the winner in a 3-2 comeback win over Sevilla in Spain. Trailing 2-0 in the second half, American left back Sergino Dest provided the assist on PSV’s first goal and Pepi found the winner in stoppage time, with fellow American Malik Tillman also coming off the bench. From his little flick to send a teammate forward to his run and clinical header, it was a great goal by the 20-year-old.
Elsewhere in the Champions League, Arsenal beat Lens 6-0 to advance, Real Madrid won 4-2 against Napoli to win its group, and Real Sociedad played to a scoreless draw with RB Salzburg. Manchester United remains in last place of its group after a 3-3 draw with Galatasaray, with goalkeeper Andre Onana unable to stop Hakim Ziyech from scoring off of two free kicks. All’s not lost for United though, as it can still qualify for the round of 16 by beating Bayern Munich at home so long as the other match ends in the group ends in a draw. It all makes for what should be an exciting final matchday in the group stage.
Free Kicks
- The Kansas City Current announced that American midfielder Sam Mewis will not be returning to the club for the 2024 season. The 31-year-old has not played since 2021 as she continues to recover from a knee injury.
- The Utah Royals have signed free agent forward Imani Dorsey on a contract through the 2025 season. Dorsey has most recently played for NJ/NY Gotham FC, although she didn’t participate in this past season due to mental health reasons.
- Manchester United is reportedly ready to move on from Mason Mount just six months after he joined the team from Chelsea.
- Tomasz Kwiatkowski, the video assistant referee involved in a controversial handball that eventually led to Paris Saint-Germain’s equalizer in stoppage time against Newcastle, was removed from his next scheduled duty by UEFA.
- Amidst a four-game winless streak, French club Nantes has fired Pierre Aristouy as its manager, immediately replacing him with Jocelyn Gourvennec.
- We’ll end our links with this interesting article that dives into how Romelu Lukaku unexpectedly arrived at AS Roma and how he’s thriving at the Italian club.
That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 11/29/23
Orlando Pride players called up by Brazil, MLS announces 2023 Best XI, latest MLS roster moves, and more.

Hello, Mane Landers I hope all is well down in Florida. I’ve been very busy working throughout the holiday weekend at Under Armour. This week I’ll be working at Wrigley Field for Winterland while getting ready to cover high school wrestling tomorrow night. There is plenty to cover today, so letโs get to the links.
Pride Players Called Up By Brazil for Friendlies
Orlando Pride defender Rafaelle and forwards Marta and Adriana have been called up to the Brazil Women’s National Team for its upcoming friendlies.
Brazil will play two matches against Japan on Nov. 30 and Dec. 3 in Sao Paulo before playing Nicaragua on Dec. 6 at Estadio Fonte Luminosa in Araraquara.
MLS Announces the 2023 Best XI
Major League Soccer announced its 2023 Best XI, recognizing the leagueโs top players at each position. There were no Orlando City players selected for the team and eight players received the honor for the first time. Those players are St. Louis City’s Roman Burki and Tim Parker, FC Cincinnati defender Matt Miazga, Atlanta United duo Thiago Almada and Giorgos Giakoumakis, Houston Dynamo midfielder Hector Herrera, LAFC’s Denis Bouanga, and Columbus Crew forward Cucho Hernandez. Nashville SC’s Hany Mukhtar made the Best XI for the third consecutive time, while teammate Walker Zimmerman was named to it for the fifth time. MLS MVP Luciano Acosta of FC Cincinnati rounds out the list.
Latest MLS Off-season Roster Moves
The Colorado Rapids announced their latest roster changes as they prepare for the the 2024 season under new Head Coach Chris Armas. The club exercised its options for defender Andrew Gutman, midfielder Ralph Priso, and forward Calvin Harris. The Rapids declined contract offers to seven players, with the most notable names being defender Steven Beitashour and goalkeeper William Yarbrough, although the Rapids are in discussions about re-signing Yarbrough. Elsewhere, the New England Revolution exercised the permanent transfer option on forward Tomas Chancalay, signing him to a Designated Player contract through 2026, with a club option for the 2027 season.
UEFA Champions League Roundup
Champions League action returned in Europe, as we get close to wrapping up the group stage in a couple of weeks. Manchester City overcame a two-goal deficit to beat RB Leipzig 3-2 and win Group G. Newcastle United had a chance to qualify for the round of 16 but gave up a late penalty to Paris Saint-Germain, which Kylian Mbappe converted to end the match in a 1-1 draw. Borussia Dortmund beat AC Milan 3-1 to book its spot in the knockout stage. PSG, Newcastle, and AC Milan are all still alive in Group F heading into the final matchday in December. Shakhtar Donetsk won 1-0 against Royal Antwerp and also still has a shot to advance on the final matchday. Lazio, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and Young Boys all won their respective matches as well. Today’s matches include Manchester United on the road against Galatasaray, Real Madrid taking on Napoli, and Sevilla facing off with PSV Eindhoven.
Free Kicks
- Concacaf has announced that BMO Stadium, Dignity Health Sports Park, Shell Energy Stadium, and Snapdragon Stadium will be the four venues that will host matches for the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup.
- Barcelona midfielder Gavi will be sidelined for up to 10 months after undergoing knee surgery after suffering a torn ACL in his right knee.
- The International Football Association Board approved a trial for sin bins, meaning players punished for dissent or specific tactical offense would be temporarily removed from the match for a set amount of minutes.
- You have got to see this goal from Cwrt Rawlin FC in the Welsh seventh division.
That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Wednesday and Iโll see you next time.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 11/28/23
Luciano Acosta named MVP, Americans in action, scheduling news for U.S. national teams, and more.

Happy Tuesday, everyone. I’m dragging a little today after having an extended period of time off for the Thanksgiving holiday, but there’s no rest for the wicked and the only way out is through. With that being the case, let’s get into today’s news.
Luciano Acosta Wins MLS MVP
In a piece of news that plenty of people likely saw coming from several miles away, Luciano Acosta has been named Major League Soccer’s Most Valuable Player. Acosta racked up 34 goal contributions during the regular season, finishing the 2023 campaign with 17 goals and 14 assists as the driving force behind his team’s run to the Supporters’ Shield. He was voted the best player in the league by quite some margin and won the award in a landslide, taking 60.37% of the votes to Denis Bouanga’s 14.97% and Thiago Almada’s 6.46%.
American Stars in Midweek Action
There are a number of United States Men’s National Team players that will be in action this week, with several UEFA Champions League clashes highlighting the viewing slate. Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah and AC Milan will face Giovanni Reyna’s Borussia Dortmund today in a game with huge ramifications for both teams. Malik Tillman, Ricardo Pepi, and Sergino Dest may play in PSV Eindhoven’s match with Sevilla tomorrow, and a win would likely go a long way to securing a place in the Round of 16. Additionally on Wednesday, Brenden Aaronson and Union Berlin have a chance to make a big move towards a place in the Europa League, as a win over Braga would leapfrog the German club into third place in Group C.
USMNT & USWNT Scheduling News
The USMNT will open its 2024 slate of games with a match against Slovenia on Jan. 20 in San Antonio. The match will fall outside of an international window, meaning that the January camp roster will largely be made up of domestic-based players. The USMNT has faced Slovenia twice before, with the most recent time being a 3-2 win in Ljubljana courtesy of a Jozy Altidore penalty kick.
While we already knew that the United States Women’s National Team would play China PR on Dec. 5 in Frisco, we now know that one of the team’s legends will be honored before the game. The U.S. Soccer Federation has announced that former Orlando Pride defender Ali Krieger, who stated in March that she will retire following the NWSL season, will be honored before the match. Krieger played 108 games for the USWNT and is a two-time World Cup winner with the team.
Notable Women’s Players to Miss International Matches
A pair of high profile women’s players will miss upcoming international games. First up, Sam Kerr will not feature in Australia’s back-to-back friendlies against Canada due to a foot injury. Kerr has struggled with injuries this year and her availability was limited during this summer’s World Cup.
Alexia Putellas will miss Spain’s two Nations League matches against Sweden and Italy after picking up a left knee injury. Putellas had missed Euro 2022 due to an ACL tear, but was back to help her side win the World Cup several months ago. Fortunately for Spain, the team is well positioned atop its group and has enough players in the squad that it shouldn’t feel her absence too keenly.
Free Kicks
- A pair of Willian penalties and an early Alex Iwobi goal helped Fulham beat Wolverhampton, with American defenders Antonee Robinson and Tim Ream also starting.
- New York Red Bulls forward Tom Barlow is reportedly headed to the Chicago Fire.
- With just three games remaining, Brazil’s title race is coming right down to the wire.
- The Liga MX playoffs are about to start, so make sure you get up to speed on what you should know as the Apertura gets underway.
That’s all I’ve got for you this morning. Y’all stay safe out there.
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