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Lion Links: 1/7/17

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Whew! It’s finally Saturday, which means we’ve gotten through the first work week of 2017. So far, so good, right? As a programming note, I’m filling in for the vacationing Logan Oliver today and just as he returns, Adam Dupere goes on his vacation so I’ll be back tomorrow. Sorry, you’re stuck with me this weekend.

Right up front I want to wish Orlando City midfielder Richie Laryea a very happy 22nd birthday.  Richie spent all of 2016 with Orlando City B, but he’s still a young dude and he could develop nicely under Anthony Pulis into a future MLS regular. The No. 7 pick overall in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft, Richie is still searching for his first professional goal, but he did notch two assists in 23 matches with OCB last year. Hopefully, he can step up his game in 2017.

Let’s dive head-first into today’s Lion Links.

Three Newest Lions are Old Lions

Orlando City announced the club re-signed Servando Carrasco yesterday, to a two-year deal. That was expected. What wasn’t quite as expected by Lion Nation is that City also re-signed defenders Seb Hines and Kevin Alston. Hines rejoins on a three-year deal and Alston got one more year in the City Beautiful.

Jason Kreis knew exactly what he had in those players and decided they were all worth bringing back. Presumably Alston and Hines are coming back for less money based on the fact their options weren’t picked up by the club back in November. When those guys are your starters and there’s little depth behind them, it’s probably not a good thing. When those guys are part of a deeper squad…well, that could be a good thing. A lot of people expressed surprise with the length of Hines’ deal due to his recurring knee issue and…well, let’s call it a whole lot of blame for the team’s defensive struggles. That doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be here three years.

Boden to Tampa Bay is Official

So long, Luke. We told you in yesterday’s Lion Links about Bodz ending up on the wrong end of I-4, but it became official on Friday. Boden was a class player and person for Orlando City since 2011 and he helped build the success that the Lions enjoyed over their time in the USL and grew up with the club as it advanced to the top flight. But after two seasons in MLS, the club declined Boden’s option and now he stays in the state while returning to the USL. It’s going to be weird having him line up on the other side for the I-4 Derby, but such is soccer. Our Scott Carnevale will look back at Boden’s time in Orlando later this morning.

We may not like Tampa Bay but at least Bodz is going to a team with ambition. The Rowdies have hired a couple of the guys who helped Orlando City get into MLS and they’ve got a plan for their stadium.

Bob Bradley Back?

Although no human seems capable of turning Swansea City around, former USMNT boss Bob Bradley didn’t get much of a chance to do much while he was with the EPL club. But now it seems that Bradley has some intriguing options. This story from MLSSoccer.com’s Sam Stejskal chronicled that not only does the former U.S. manager have an offer on the table from the Norwegian national team, but incoming MLS club LAFC may also be rekindling its interest in hiring Bradley as the club’s first skipper.

NWSL Champions Moving to North Carolina

The Western New York Flash won the NWSL title in 2016 but the team will defend it elsewhere. According to FourFourTwo, league sources are saying the club is moving to North Carolina prior to the 2017 season. WNYF, which formerly played in Rochester, NY, will be on the move. North Carolina FC (formerly the Carolina Railhawks) owner Stephen Malik raised eyebrows a month ago when he boldly declared he intended to bring an NWSL franchise to North Carolina within six months. Now it appears that has happened. The news led to the saddest soccer tweet ever.  

USL Gets Division II Status

It was a long wait, but the U.S. Soccer Federation has finally ruled on sanctioning. The USSF has elevated the USL to Division II status but, for now anyway, the NASL is also Division II. So when Orlando City B kicks off this season, it will be in the country’s second division rather than the third.

"After an exhaustive process working with both leagues, in the best interest of the sport the U.S. Soccer Board of Directors has decided to grant provisional Division II status to the NASL and USL," said U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati. "U.S. Soccer will create an internal working group that will work with each league to set a pathway to meet the full requirements for Division II and allow for the larger goal of creating a sustainable future. We look forward to another productive year for professional soccer in this country."

It’s the perfect solution, really, because nobody is 100% happy.

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Las Vegas is making another push to join MLSReal Salt Lake signed Slovak international Albert Rusnak to a DP deal…D.C. United product Ian Harkes of Wake Forest is your MAC Hermann Trophy winner and DCU is trying to negotiate a Homegrown Player deal with the son of former USMNT star John Harkes…Today’s  birthdays include U.S. president No. 13, Millard Fillmore (1800), Rolling Stone co-founder Jann Wenner (1946), singer Kenny Loggins (1948), NYPD Blue and CSI: Miami star David Caruso (1956), Katie Couric (1957), Go-Go’s bassist Kathy Valentine (1959), Nicolas Cage (1964), Avenger Jeremy Renner (1971), Cleveland Indians slugger Edwin Encarnación (1983), and Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard (1991).


Later today, we’ll drop our January episode of the Mane Land PawedCast on you and our special guest is none other than Orlando City Head Coach Jason Kreis. You’ll definitely want to check out what he had to say about the team, the off-season, new acquisitions Will Johnson and PC, and lots more. We spoke to him Thursday night, so we didn’t get any insight on yesterday’s signings but I’m sure we’ll hear from him soon enough on that subject. Enjoy your weekend!

Oh, and don’t forget that you can get discounted tickets for select Florida Cup matches just by entering the code TML1. Here’s how.

Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/28/24

Getting to know Rafael Santos, Orlando Pride prepare for Chicago, Midge Purce out for the season, and more.

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I hope the work week has been treating you well as we gear up for another weekend of soccer. March flew by for me and April is shaping up to be a pretty busy month as well. In other news, I’m looking into adopting a cat and gathering the supplies to make that happen. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Getting to Know Rafael Santos

Orlando City left back Rafael Santos was the latest Lion to field questions as part of the club’s video series for fans to learn more about its players. The 26-year-old spoke about the decision process behind joining Orlando and playing outside of Brazil for the first time in his career after five years with Cruzeiro. He’s brought his attack-minded style of play to the team, particularly in terms of providing lethal crossing from the wing. Make sure to check out the full video as Santos also shared photos of his newborn and showcased his skill with a cavaquinho.

Orlando Pride Prepare to Host Chicago

After a pair of draws to start their season, the Orlando Pride will have a chance to claim their first win of the season when they host the Chicago Red Stars tomorrow night at 6 p.m. Head Coach Seb Hines spoke about how the Pride have shown plenty of resilience so far this young season. The team managed to secure a point in last week’s 1-1 draw with Angel City FC despite a patchwork back line due to injuries. That defense will likely have its hands full against Mallory Swanson and a Chicago team that won both of its first two games. Hines spoke about how the Pride are preparing for Chicago and how they will need the home crowd to bring the support tomorrow night.

Sophia Smith Signs Record-Breaking New Deal

American forward Sophia Smith signed a new contract with the Portland Thorns that will make her the highest-paid NWSL player, according to the club. The new deal will last through the 2025 season, with an option for 2026 as well. The 23-year-old was drafted by the Thorns with the first overall pick in the 2020 NWSL Draft and has gone on to score 34 regular-season goals. Smith re-signed with the club in 2022 and was set to become a free agent following this season, but will instead stay in Portland.

Midge Purce Out for NWSL Season

NJ/NY Gotham FC forward Midge Purce will miss the remainder of the NWSL season after tearing her ACL. The 28-year-old will undergo surgery and suffered the injury in her team’s 1-0 victory over the Portland Thorns this past weekend. She’s been with Gotham since 2020 and assisted on both goals in her team’s 2-1 win in the 2023 NWSL Championship. It’s a tough blow for the United States Women’s National Team too, as she will not be representing the U.S. during this summer’s Olympics in France.

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  • Orlando City B’s match against Carolina Core FC on April 14 has been rescheduled.

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/27/24

Bally Sports will broadcast Orlando Pride matches, Pride players called up, USWNT announces SheBelieves Cup roster, and more.

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Hello, Mane Landers. I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I attended my friend’s wedding this past weekend and have been getting myself back into work mode by covering high school tennis this week. There is plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Bally Sports Will Broadcast Select Orlando Pride Matches

Bally Sports was announced as the new local television partner for the Orlando Pride. There will be 13 select Pride matches broadcast this season across Bally Sports Florida, Bally Sports Sun, and on the Bally Sports app. The partnership will begin this Friday, with the Orlando Soccer Insider show taking place before the kickoff of the Pride’s home match against the Chicago Red Stars at 7 p.m. The show will be broadcast on Bally Sports Florida, and then you can switch to the Bally Sports app to watch Friday’s match. Below are all the select matches that will be broadcast on Bally Sports this season.

Brazilian Orlando Pride Players Called Up

The Orlando Pride’s Marta, Angelina, and Luana were all called up by Brazil for next month’s SheBelieves Cup. Brazil heads into this tournament after a solid showing in the Concacaf W Gold Cup. The format is different for this year’s SheBelieves Cup, as there will only be four matches instead of six. Brazil’s first match of the tournament will be a semifinal on April 6 against Canada in Atlanta.

USWNT Announces Roster for SheBelieves Cup

United States Women’s National Team interim head coach Twila Kilgore announced the 23-player roster for the 2024 SheBelieves Cup matches next month. The USWNT has won this competition four consecutive times since 2020, and is going for a seventh title in 2024. Of those called up, 19 players on this squad were part of the team that won the Concacaf W Gold Cup earlier this month. San Diego Wave forward Jaedyn Shaw, the Concacaf W Gold Cup’s MVP, is back on the roster after she led the USWNT with four goals. The squad also includes familiar names like former Pride forward Alex Morgan, Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman, and Olympique Lyon midfielder Lindsey Horan. Mallory Swanson and Catarina Macario return to the squad after being sidelined with injuries. The USWNT will begin its quest to defend its SheBelieves Cup title when it faces Japan on April 6 in Atlanta.

MLS Referees Agree to New CBA

After a lockout that resulted in Major League Soccer starting the season with replacement referees, the Professional Soccer Referees Association voted to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement with the Professional Referee Organization. The new CBA is a seven-year deal that runs through January of 2031. This deal will also include significant pay raises for referees, assistant referees, and video assistant referees. The PRO referees will return to the pitch for this weekend’s MLS matches.

Ukraine, Georgia, and Poland Qualify for Euro 2024

Ukraine has qualified for this summer’s Euros after edging out Iceland 2-1 in its playoff final, with Mykhaylo Mudryk scoring the winning goal in the second half. Georgia eliminated Greece 4-2 on penalties after a 2-2 draw to book a spot in the tournament as well. Georgia qualifies for its first major tournament after coming up short in 2020. Poland also needed penalties to qualify, with goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny making the final save against Daniel James to beat Wales 5-4 on penalties after a scoreless draw.

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That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Wednesday and I’ll see you next time.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/26/24

Jack Lynn named to MLS Team of the Matchday bench, Nico Lodeiro and Marta up for weekly awards, USMNT stock watch, and more.

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

Happy Tuesday, everyone! It was an enjoyable weekend for fans of Orlando soccer as the Lions got in the win column, the Pride stayed unbeaten, and Orlando City B picked up two points by way of a shootout win. As usual, we have plenty to discuss this morning, so let’s dive in.

Jack Lynn Makes Team of the Matchday Bench

Jack Lynn’s efforts in Orlando City’s 2-0 win over Austin FC have earned him a spot on the bench in the latest edition of the MLS Team of the Matchday. Lynn opened the scoring with a well-finished header in the first half, a tally which was also his very first for the senior side. Aside from his goal, he took another shot that was off target, completed 77% of his passes, and recorded 21 touches. The performance earned him a 6 out of 10 grade from Sean Rollins in his player grades from the match. Lynn’s inclusion in the TotM is well deserved, and hopefully it’s the first of many!

Orlando Players Up for Weekly Honors

Nico Lodeiro’s free kick during Orlando City’s win has been nominated for the MLS Goal of the Matchday. In the 64th minute, with the Lions holding a 1-0 lead, courtesy of Lynn’s goal, the good guys were awarded a free kick due to a handball on the edge of the box. Lodeiro proceeded to deliver the goods, scoring his first league goal for OCSC with a powerful, bending effort that Brad Stuver was unable to keep out of the top corner. Make sure you go and vote for Nico to win this week’s award!

He wasn’t the only Orlando player who had an impressive goal either, as the Orlando Pride’s Marta has been nominated for the National Women’s Soccer League Goal of the Week. It was a well-deserved nomination too, as she leveled the score and rescued a point for the Pride in spectacular fashion. With time ticking down in the 88th minute, she expertly volleyed in a corner kick at home. Go and vote for her to win the honor!

Post-Nations League Stock Watch

Several United States Men’s National Team players either boosted or hurt their stock over the course of last week’s Concacaf Nations League matches. Guys like Giovanni Reyna and Tyler Adams turned in impactful and timely performances. Reyna was named the best player of the tournament at a time when minutes at the club level are tough to come by, while Adams looked great as he continues to work his way back from a long injury layoff. Joe Scally and Folarin Balogun struggled though, with Scally being hooked at halftime against Jamaica and Balogun having a relatively quiet two games while fellow striker Haji Wright was the hero against Jamaica. Nobody’s stock dropped more than Mexico’s though, which has now gone seven games without beating the U.S., and hasn’t scored in almost 500 minutes. *Insert eagle screech here*

Big Names Missing for Euro 2024

The club season won’t be over for a couple more months, but there are a number of big stars who we either already know won’t be appearing at this summer’s Euro 2024, or who have a race against the clock in order to feature. The Real Madrid duo of David Alaba and Thibaut Courtois will both miss the tournament through injury, although Courtois’ rocky relationship with Belgium manager Domenico Tedesco means he may not have been called up anyway. Sven Botman will be unavailable for the Netherlands due to an ACL tear. Ivan Perisic suffered the same fate, sidelining him for Croatia. Then there are the cases of Sandro Tonali and Paul Pogba, who are unavailable for Italy and France, respectively, due to suspensions for off-field issues.

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  • Happy National Athletic Training Month from one AT (me) to another!
  • The young Yanks engineered a late comeback to earn a 2-2 draw with France, with Cade Cowell scoring the equalizer.
  • A vote has reportedly taken place on a new tentative agreeement between PRO and the PSRA.
  • LAFC has reportedly sent a formal contract offer for Olivier Giroud to join the Western Conference side once the Serie A season concludes.

That’s all I’ve got for you this morning. Vamos Orlando!

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