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Lion Links: 1/8/17

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8 years ago

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Good morning, Mane Landers. I hope your Sunday is going to be better than mine. I’m on a liquid diet today in preparation for tomorrow’s always enjoyable colonoscopy. Hey, when you get old like me you have to have these things every once in a while. The day before is usually worse. You’ve got to intake only clear liquids and then the fun begins in the evening while you drink like a gallon of this nasty stuff that will have you running for the bathroom every few minutes. But enough about that.

It’s match day! Florida Cup begins today at St. Petersburg’s Al Lang Stadium, with a pretty awesome doubleheader. Estudiantes is taking on Bayer Leverkusen at 2 p.m. and the Tampa Bay Rowdies will battle Wolfsburg at 4:45 p.m. Why not save 15% on your tickets and head on over today? You can find out how to save that cash here. If you can’t make it, our Gavin Ewbank is all credentialed up and ready to bring you the news from St. Pete. Need info on the teams? We’ve got you covered.

It’s also Conor Donovan’s 21st birthday today. The Generation Adidas product made his return from an ACL injury in 2016 but never quite seemed to reach his full range of mobility and the form he showed in 2015. But sometimes it takes a player nearly two years to fully regain not only the range of motion in the joint but also the confidence to make the sudden, explosive movements they need in order to fully regain their form. Here’s to hoping Donovan can take a giant leap forward in 2017.

Now, for your Sunday Lion Links…

Orlando City Preseason Hints

While many fans around MLS know where their teams will be playing preseason games, the Lions tend to leave these things until later. Orlando City Head Coach Jason Kreis mentioned on the latest episode of the PawedCast that the team expects to play five or six preseason games, including an intra-squad scrimmage. That will take place at the beginning of February. This story from OrlandoCitySC.com mentions a friendly against Jacksonville University and that three or four matches — “most likely against MLS opponents” — are still being finalized. We look forward to getting the full preseason slate. The agreement with Atletico Paranaense announced Nov. 1 includes a friendly against the Brazilian side in Orlando this year, which could also be part of the team’s preseason schedule.

Florida Cup: Rowdies Look to Make Their Mark

USL side Tampa Bay Rowdies seem to be jumping at their chance to play in the 2017 Florida Cup. With matches scheduled against German side Wolfsburg and Brazil’s Atletico Mineiro, the Rowdies will not be favored to get results in the tournament, but the club has MLS ambition and sees this as an opportunity to grow awareness. Mike Gramajo of the Orlando Sentinel spoke with Tampa Bay’s PR director:

“Playing in the Florida Cup is a no-brainer,” said Nico Castillo, director of public relations for the Rowdies. “The tournament is going to broadcast live in over 140 countries, why wouldn’t we want our brand, our stadium and city to be showcased?

“And when you add our MLS ambitions, it opens up to a new audience, and we’re definitely using the tournament to prepare for our USL season for 2017.”

As mentioned earlier, the Rowdies will face Wolfsburg at 4:45 p.m. today. We’ll have a recap and potentially a chat with newest Tampa Bay defender Luke Boden.

Chicharito Rumors are Back

It’s the gift that keeps on giving, really. As Chicharito’s Bayer Leverkusen side visits the U.S. with a couple appearances in the Florida Cup on the schedule, rumors have been swirling that the German team is willing to sell the Mexican striker this summer. Chicharito’s contract runs through June of 2018, but if the club’s technical staff feel they can get paid for him now, there’s a good chance he’ll at least be offered up. That always fuels the Chicharito-to-MLS rumors, which we’ve enjoyed because — unless something has changed — Orlando City have his MLS discovery rights, per our conversation with Paul McDonough in August of 2015.

How close was the club to landing Chicharito Hernandez?

PM: "There were discussions. It just didn't work out for whatever reason. The club had authorized us to go and try to get it done. We did try. He's back at Man U right now and this is the last year of his deal, so we'll continue to monitor that and see how it goes. We looked at some other guys, too, and the finances in some of the places where these guys went were just so far out of reach it was ridiculous for us to compete with."

Does Orlando City own Chicharito's MLS discovery rights or would his signing require another move?

PM: "We have his discovery rights and we will forever." (laughs)

So get out to Bayer Leverkusen’s Florida Cup games and make Javier Hernandez feel welcome in Central Florida.

NASL Taking Over Our Northern Neighbors

As NASL instability continues, the Jacksonville Armada are being sold. The NASL will take over ownership and operation of the club while looking or a new owner. Armada owner Mark Frisch announced the news yesterday. Frisch said that he’s lost a lot of money getting the team up and running. Results probably haven’t helped, but neither has attendance. Frisch mentioned the team playing in a baseball stadium affecting the atmostphere.

“(The Baseball Grounds) was part of the problem, frankly when we think about the attendance. You don’t really get the atmosphere playing in a baseball stadium. You don’t. It’s a great venue, it’s amazing, first-class, but you’re away from the field and you have the concourse and people are just kind of roaming, they’re not into it,” he said. “A soccer field is just different.”

Good luck to Armada fans as their team goes through some troubling times.

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Everything you need to know about the MLS SuperDraft…Once again this season, the NWSL Draft will be streamed live…Orlando City isn’t the only team re-signing players from the 2016 squad. New York City FC re-signed both Tommy McNamara and RJ Allen…Boom or bust? A history of No. 1 MLS picks…In addition to Conor Donovan, those born on this date include F Troop actor Larry Storch (1923), comedian Soupy Sales (1926), “the king” himself, Elvis Presley (1935), James Bond theme singer for Goldfinger, Diamonds are Forever, and Moonraker, Shirley Bassey (1937), game show host Bob Eubanks (1938), Monty Python’s Graham Chapman (1941), physicist Stephen Hawking (1942), Doors guitarist Robby Krieger (1946), David Bowie (1947…RIP), Loverboy vocalist Mike Reno (1955), R. Kelly (1967), baseball’s Jason Giambi (1971) and Mike Cameron (1973), and  Atlético Madrid midfielder Koke.

Well, that’s all I have for you today, folks. I’m off to enjoy a day full of chicken broth and Jello. If you’re headed west on I-4 to check out Chicharito at Al Lang Stadium, have a great time. I leave you with Wayne Rooney making history by equaling Bobby Charlton’s all-time goal-scoring record with Manchester United:

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/17/25

Orlando City and Orlando Pride players on Team of the Week, USMNT Gold Cup continues, and more.

Published

13 hours ago

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June 17, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wedn…er…Tuesday, Mane Landers. That’s right, I’m here a day early and not a moment too late. Orlando is knee deep in soccer, thanks to the FIFA Club World Cup on top of our favorite Orlando City and Orlando Pride clubs. We will have coverage of the matches taking place in the City Beautiful. Before we get started today, join us in wishing a happy 25th birthday to Orlando Pride midfielder Summer Yates. Now, let’s get to the links.

Schlegel Honored

Rodrigo Schlegel had a pretty good match against the Colorado Rapids. Despite not being named Man of the Match in our Player Grades, he did make the MLS Team of the Week bench. Meanwhile, Orlando held steady at the ninth spot in ESPN’s MLS Power Rankings, while dropping two spots from seventh to ninth in SI.com’s Power Rankings despite winning on the road. It just shows how very accurate and scientific power rankings are, doesn’t it?

Quadruple Honors for the Pride

The Orlando Pride saw Schlegel’s TotW Bench honor and said we can do better. Barbra Banda, Cori Dyke, Emily Sams, and Anna Moorhouse all made the NWSL Team of the Week from the Attacking Third. Congratulations to the Pride for covering a third of the Attacking Third’s selections.

Moorhouse is also up for Player of the Week and Save of the Week. As of this morning, she is not leading either category so you know what to do.

The USMNT Gold Cup Journey Continues

The Concacaf Gold Cup group stage is underway, with the USMNT securing a 5-0 victory over Trinidad & Tobago Sunday evening. I’m always for beating Trinidad & Tobago, but more talented teams and tougher matches lie ahead. Next up for the USMNT is Saudi Arabia. I know what you’re thinking, and you’re correct. Saudi Arabia isn’t a Concacaf nation, but the team is the invitee for this Gold Cup. The match is Thursday night at 9:15 p.m. at Q2 Stadium in Austin, TX. The U.S. will most likely need a win to secure the top spot in the group.

FIFA Club World Cup Results

The Club World Cup, which will visit Orlando’s Inter&Co Stadium later today (we’ll be on hand with the coverage, naturally), continued early this week with Bayern Munich obliterating Auckland City 10-0, PSG defeating Atletico Madrid 4-0, Botafogo beating the Seattle Sounders 2-1, and Facundo Torres and Palmeiras drawing Porto 0-0 on Sunday. In the Monday slate, Chelsea defeated LAFC 2-0, and Boca Juniors and Benfica drew 2-2. Overshadowing all of this is the poor attendance, despite FIFA spending millions to boost said attendance.

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  • One might think that a club sitting second in the official standings on a three-match winning streak would have matching ranks in all the various power rankings. However, one would be wrong, because although the Pride are in the second spot in the SI.com Power Rankings, the club sits at third in the ESPN.com Power Rankings. Do I need to say anything?
  • You don’t often see Barcelona get passed over for an MLS club, but that is exactly what happened despite Barcelona calling FIFA to get a spot in the Club World Cup. That MLS club was LAFC, and it had to earn its way in by beating Club America.
  • Liverpool has set a date for the medical for Florian Wirtz following the record transfer.
  • Congratulations to Orlando City’s Alex Freeman on his performance in his first cap for the USMNT in a competitive match.

Stacked the stat sheet 📈– 10 duels won (led team)– 3 tackles won (led team)– 54 passes completed– 95% passing accuracy– 90 minutes played– 2 clearances– 2 fouls drawn– Clean sheet ✅

— Orlando City SC (@orlandocitysc.com) 2025-06-16T23:03:59.932Z

That will do it for today. Check back as we get you ready for the matches this week. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/16/25

Lions and Pride win, USMNT beats Trinidad & Tobago in Gold Cup opener, FIFA Club World Cup weekend recap, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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June 16, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you and belated happy Father’s Day to all you dads out there. The Lions and the Pride both won while OCB was off this weekend. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Blank Colorado Rapids on the Road

Orlando City defeated the Colorado Rapids 1-0 Saturday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Martin Ojeda scored the lone goal for the Lions in the first half to snap their two-match winless streak. Goalkeeper Pedro Gallese made two saves and earned his eighth clean sheet of the season. With the win, Orlando moved up to fifth in the Eastern Conference standings with 30 points. Orlando City will be off this weekend but will be return to action June 25 on the road at St. Louis City.

Banda’s Goal Lifts Pride Over Bay FC

The Orlando Pride defeated Bay FC 1-0 Friday at PayPal Park in San Jose, CA. After a scoreless first half, Barbra Banda scored the only goal in the match — her eighth goal of the season — and the Pride held on for the win. It’s the team’s third straight 1-0 victory over Bay FC, and the Pride also claimed their fifth clean sheet of the season. Orlando has won three matches in a row and remains second in the NWSL table with 25 points. The Pride will be on the road to take on Racing Louisville Friday.

USMNT Dominates Trinidad & Tobago in Gold Cup Opener

The U.S. Men’s National Team beat Trinidad & Tobago 5-0 Sunday in the opening match of the Concacaf Gold Cup at PayPal Park. Orlando City defender Alex Freeman started the match and played 90 minutes. Malik Tillman scored twice, and Patrick Agyemang added one to give the USMNT a 3-0 lead before halftime. In the second half, Brenden Aaronson and Haji Wright each added a goal to extend the USMNT’s lead to 5-0. With the win, the Yanks snapped a four-match winless streak. The USMNT will take on Saudi Arabia Thursday night at Q2 Stadium in Austin, TX.

FIFA Club World Cup Weekend Recap

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup kicked off on Saturday, with Inter Miami and Al Ahly playing to a scoreless draw in the opening match of the group stage. Miami goalkeeper Oscar Ustari made eight saves, including a penalty kick saved in the 43rd minute against Trezeguet of Al Ahly as the teams split the points. On Sunday, Jamal Musiala scored a hat trick as Bayern Munich crushed Auckland City 10-0, Paris Saint-Germain routed Atletico Madrid 4-0, and Palmeiras and FC Porto ended in a scoreless draw. The Seattle Sounders battled Botafogo in the late match. Today’s matchups feature Chelsea taking on LAFC, Boca Juniors facing Benfica, and Flamengo taking on Esperance Sportive de Tunis.

Tampa Bay Sun Wins USL Super League Championship

The Tampa Bay Sun defeated Fort Lauderdale United 1-0 after extra time to win the inaugural USL Super League championship on Saturday at Riverfront Stadium in Tampa. Former Pride players Jordyn Listro and Erika Tymrak were part of the squad’s stellar run to its first championship title in the inaugural season of the USL Super League. After no goals came from either side during the 90 minutes of play, the match went to extra time, and Cecilie Floe scored the winning goal for the Sun. Sydny Nasello was named the 2025 USL Super League Final MVP.

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  • Check out this video on Orlando City’s social media pages featuring some players giving their dads a surprise phone call on Father’s Day.
  • PayPal Park will host the 2025 NWSL Championship match on Nov. 22.

From the home of legends to the stage of champions 🏆The 2025 NWSL Championship presented by Google Pixel is coming to the Bay Area and PayPal Park.

— NWSL (@nwslsoccer.com) 2025-06-13T12:14:48.657Z

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

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 6/13/25

Orlando City prepares for the Colorado Rapids, Concacaf W Champions Cup schedule released, USWNT tops FIFA rankings, and more.

Published

5 days ago

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June 13, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Happy Friday! We have some exciting soccer ahead of us over the next few days, starting with the Orlando Pride’s road game against Bay FC tonight at 10 p.m. I’ll be spending most of the weekend working and visiting family for Father’s Day. Let’s go ahead and get this Friday started with today’s links from around the soccer world!

Orlando City Prepares for the Colorado Rapids

The Lions are back in action on Saturday for a road match in high altitude against the Colorado Rapids. Orlando City is coming off a needed break in the schedule after losing two games in a row to close out a busy May. The Rapids have also lost their past two league games and will be without goalkeeper Zack Steffen due to injury. This will be the team’s first match against the Rapids since a 2-0 victory in Orlando back in 2023 and the first in Colorado since a 1-1 draw in 2022. Hopefully the Lions can get back on track with a win to kickstart another strong summer.

Concacaf W Champions Cup Schedule Revealed

The schedule was unveiled for the Concacaf W Champions Cup and we now know where the Pride will be playing this fall. Their campaign will begin at Inter&Co Stadium against Costa Rican club LD Alajuelense on Sept. 2. They’ll then hit the road for their next two matches, playing Chorrillo FC in Panama on Sept. 16 before facing Club America on Sept. 30. The Pride will close out their group play with a home game against Pachuca on Oct. 15. The top two teams from the group will advance to the semifinals, and the winner of the tournament will earn a spot in both the 2027 FIFA Women’s Champions Cup and 2028 FIFA Women’s Club World Cup. It’s going to make for some late-season fixture congestion for the Pride, but that’s the price of success and earning a spot in continental competitions.

USWNT Remains Atop FIFA Rankings

The United States Women’s National Team is still the best team in the world according to the latest FIFA rankings. The U.S. lost points overall in the time since the last rankings in March though, and the gap has narrowed between it and Spain and Germany. Brazil had a decent rise in the rankings, moving up four spots to fourth after beating Japan twice in recent friendlies. With notable international tournaments lined up for this summer, it will be interesting to see how much things shake up when the next rankings come out.

Michael Bradley Named New York Red Bulls II Head Coach

Former USMNT midfielder Michael Bradley was hired as head coach of the MLS NEXT Pro’s New York Red Bulls II. It’s the 37-year-old’s first professional head coaching job after spending time as an assistant coach under his father, Bob Bradley, at Stabaek in Norway. Bradley returns to where he began his professional playing career, as he was drafted by the MetroStars in 2004 at the age of 16.

“I couldn’t be more excited to come back to where my professional playing career began,” says Head Coach Michael Bradley. “This is a dream opportunity as a young coach. I’m looking forward to working everyday with this talented group of players, and I’ll give everything to help them take the next step in their careers. I’m thankful to the club for the opportunity and can’t wait to get started.”

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That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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