Lion Links
Lion Links: 1/10/17

Good Morning, Lions fans. Last night college football came to an end, which means the televisions and the good recliner seat in my house are finally open to watch some actual “football.” So, find your comfiest seat and check out these Lion Links.
Before we begin, The Mane Land staff and I would like to offer up a Happy Birthday to Khano Smith, Orlando Pride assistant coach. The retired midfielder is celebrating his 35th birthday. Happy Birthday, Khano, we hope your day is filled with celebration and cake!
Will Johnson Takes a Tour of Orlando City’s Stadium
New Orlando City player Will Johnson has officially landed in Orlando and is wasting zero time becoming acclimated with his new club. Yesterday he spent time visiting the downtown offices and the new stadium, stopping to take pictures and participate in a Facebook Live chat, where he answered questions about himself.
Welcome to The City Beautiful, Will. #NeverHuntAlone pic.twitter.com/S6WrzT9SAm
— Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) January 9, 2017
MLS and NWSL Draft Orders Released
The MLS SuperDraft and the NWSL Draft are both rapidly approaching, and now with the official announcement of the draft orders, both Orlando City and the Pride can begin preparing for future draftees. While the draft can be an opportunity to sign impact players, both Orlando City and the Pride may have a less-than-exciting day as they do not have picks until the third round. Orlando City has two of the 88 picks, which will fall at Nos. 64 and 74. Unless the team trades up, City will have to wait a couple of rounds before selecting a player. Likewise, the Pride does not have a draft pick until the third round. The Pride will select pick Nos. 22 and 32, and they also may have the chance to trade up.
Ashlyn Harris Awarded CONCACAF Goalkeeper of the Year
Orlando Pride goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris was named the CONCACAF Female Goalkeeper of the Year. Harris became one of the starting goalkeepers for the U.S. Women’s National Team after Hope Solo was suspended. She was an alternate for the Rio Olympics and made three appearances in 2016, winning all three and allowing only two goals. The award was voted upon by fans, which may be why Harris won by such a large margin. Guatemalan Yoselin Franco received the second-most votes, and Costa Rican player Dinnia Diaz received the third-most votes. Alex Morgan was also in contention for a CONCACAF award for Best Forward, but she came in second to Christen Press.
CONFIRMED: @Ashlyn_Harris is the best on the continent.
Congrats on winning @CONCACAF Female Keeper of the Year. #FilledWithPride pic.twitter.com/zIPcYihNND
— Orlando Pride (@ORLPride) January 9, 2017
USL Releases Updated Conference Alignment
The United Soccer League has announced the new alignment for the 30-team league. Teams will each play in 32 games during the regular season. The alignment still includes an Eastern Conference and a Western Conference, with the addition of three new teams. Among them, the Tampa Bay Rowdies and Ottawa Fury FC, will both be added to the Eastern Conference. Orlando City B will remain in the East.
The 2017 #USL Eastern Conference 💪
Who will take the 🔝 spot this season? pic.twitter.com/9u5p5OCbyI
— USL (@USL) January 9, 2017
The Best Recognized at FIFA Awards
The annual celebration of soccer’s best took place yesterday in Zurich, with the first installment of the Best FIFA Football Awards. The four major awards for best male and female player and best male and female coach were given to Cristiano Ronaldo, Carli Lloyd, Claudio Ranieri, and Silvia Neid, respectively. Several other awards were given out at the prestigious event, including the Fair Play award, presented to Atlético Nacional for their compassion following the events of the Chapecoense crash.
NC Courage Joins NWSL
The 2015 NWSL Champion Western New York Flash announced earlier this week that the club would be sold and relocated to North Carolina. The team will become the North Carolina Courage, with all the former Western New York Flash players’ contracts being transferred with the selling of the club. Flash Head Coach Paul Riley is in talks to become the first head coach of the Courage. The Courage will participate in the NWSL draft, holding the second, seventh, and 18th picks.
“Welcoming Steve Malik and the entire North Carolina Football Club organization represents a significant milestone in the history of our league,” NWSL Commissioner Jeff Plush said.
We are playing here, in April, as the North Carolina Courage #919inNWSL #NCFCFamily #NCCourage pic.twitter.com/DjbyzxYRyg
— NC Courage (@TheNCCourage) January 9, 2017
Unfortunately, that is all the links I have for you all today. Have a great Tuesday and once again, Happy Birthday Khano Smith.
Lion Links
Lion Links: 5/23/25
Tonight’s OCB match moved to Sunday, Alex Freeman makes USMNT roster, FanDuel Sports Network will stream Orlando Pride games, and more.

Happy Friday! A long weekend is ahead of us and there is plenty of Orlando soccer to enjoy as well. I’ll be celebrating my nephew’s first birthday this weekend, so it should be a nice next couple of days visiting family. Let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world!
OCB Match Moved to Sunday in Kissimmee
As a heads up, Orlando City B is no longer playing today. OCB’s match against Atlanta United 2 was originally scheduled for tonight in Atlanta, but it was instead postponed to 7 p.m. Sunday and relocated to Osceola Heritage Park rather than Fifth Third Stadium in Georgia. Stadium availability was cited as the reason for the change, and the match will be played behind closed doors, although it will still be streamed live. The Young Lions are coming off of a 3-0 win over Inter Miami II and will face an Atlanta team that has drawn its last four games.
Alex Freeman Makes USMNT Training Camp Roster
Orlando City right back Alex Freeman was named to the United States Men’s National Team’s training camp roster ahead of friendlies next month against Turkey and Switzerland. The 20-year-old is one of five uncapped players on the roster and one of 16 MLS players. He’ll likely be behind Sergino Dest on the depth chart, but Joe Scally was not called up for this window. There are many notable players absent, opening the door for players like Freeman across multiple positions to stake their claim to participate in this summer’s Gold Cup and the World Cup next year.
FanDuel Sports Network Will Stream Select Pride Games
The Orlando Pride will have eight of its remaining games streamed on FanDuel Sports Network, including tonight’s road game against the Utah Royals. The regional network, which used to be called Bally Sports before rebranding, is available on various providers throughout Florida and there is an app for streaming as well. Personally, I find this as just another cog in a messy machine of NWSL coverage options, but I imagine this is handy for those out there who are already accustomed to using the network to watch other Floridian pro sports teams.
Winter Garden Lands USL League One Team
Another pro soccer team is coming to Central Florida, as the United Soccer League announced its intent to bring a USL League One team to the area. Central Florida Pro Soccer’s ownership group has plans for a development in Winter Garden that would include a 5,000-seat multi-purpose soccer stadium. The plans also include recreational fields, a hotel, parks, and a walking trail. The group will gather input from the community in the coming months to help determine the team’s colors, badge, and name.
Free Kicks
- Kansas City Current defender Alana Cook was placed on the season-ending injury list due to a torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus sustained in the club’s match against the Orlando Pride.
- NJ/NY Gotham FC and Tigres will square off in the Concacaf W Champions Cup final on Saturday. The winner will earn a spot in the 2026 Women’s Champions Cup and the 2028 Women’s Club World Cup.
- Luka Modric penned a farewell to Real Madrid fans as his time with the club has come to an end. I don’t know where his next stop will be, but I sure hope it’s not with a team the Lions still have to face this year.
- Raphina signed a contract extension with Barcelona that will keep him at the club until 2028. The 28-year-old recorded 34 goals and 25 assists in 56 appearances during this breakout year with Barcelona.
- Here’s a nice breakdown of what to watch for in Saturday’s Women’s Champions League final between Arsenal and Barcelona.
That’s all I have for you today. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your holiday weekend!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 5/22/25
Orlando City ousted from U.S. Open Cup, OCB’s Justin Ellis named Player of the Matchweek, Tottenham wins Europa League, and more.

Well, that could have gone better. It’s understandable to feel a bit deflated after Wednesday night’s game, especially after so many positive Orlando City results as of late. The good news though is that we’re another day closer to a holiday weekend that should include some good times or at least rest and relaxation. Let’s dive into today’s links!
Orlando City Eliminated from U.S. Open Cup
The Lions lost 3-2 at home to Nashville SC in the U.S. Open Cup’s round of 16, ending the team’s run in the tournament. Orlando struck first in a rollercoaster of a match, and Ramiro Enrique pulled the Lions level after they fell behind, but rookie Wyatt Meyer scored the winner for the visitors. The loss snapped Orlando’s 12-game unbeaten streak across all competitions and Orlando looked like a team that played five other matches already this month. Orlando will need to shake off this loss as it prepares to host the Portland Timbers on Saturday.
Justin Ellis Named MLS NEXT Pro Player of the Matchweek
Orlando City B midfielder Justin Ellis was selected as MLS NEXT Pro Player of the Matchweek for his role in the team’s 3-0 win over Inter Miami II. Ellis, who turned 18 years old last week, assisted on both of OCB’s first two goals before scoring from the penalty spot himself. It’s been quite the year so far for Ellis, as he also scored six goals in the Generation Adidas Cup to help Orlando win the U-18 title in April. The Young Lions are back in action Friday with a road match against rival Atlanta United 2.
U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 Results
Comebacks were a theme throughout the U.S. Open Cup’s round of 16. Minnesota United took the lead, gave it up, and ultimately advanced thanks to defender Anthony Markanich scoring two late goals to beat St. Louis City 3-2 at Allianz Arena. Markanich was traded from St. Louis to Minnesota last year, adding a little salt in the wound for the visitors. D.C. United and Charlotte FC battled in a back-and-forth match that ended up with D.C. winning the penalty shootout after a 3-3 draw. The match between the New York Red Bulls and FC Dallas also went the distance, with the Red Bulls winning the shootout. The Philadelphia Union won 4-1 against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds to eliminate the last team from outside MLS. The draw for the quarterfinals will take place this morning.
Tottenham Hotspur Wins Europa League Final
Tottenham prevailed in this year’s Europa league final, winning 1-0 against Manchester United in Spain. Brennan Johnson’s goal was enough for Tottenham to end its 17-year wait for a major trophy. It was a bit of an underwhelming finish to what was a fairly exciting knockout stage, and this was United’s only loss in this year’s tournament. Tottenham has now qualified for next season’s Champions League despite currently being 17th in the English Premier League standings.
Free Kicks
- Christian Pulisic reportedly won’t play in the Concacaf Gold Cup so that he can recover from a lengthy season with AC Milan.
- Boston’s NWSL team will play its home games next year at Gillette Stadium due to delays with construction for its eventual home, White Stadium.
- NWSL Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer Julie Haddon will leave the league this summer as part of the league’s restructuring. Chief Sporting Director Tatjana Haenni will exit in October as well.
- After winning the domestic treble in his first season in charge, Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has extended his contract until 2027.
- Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham will undergo shoulder surgery once the Club World Cup is over.
- London City Lionesses were fined for messaging a Southampton player through social media without Southampton’s permission back in August. London City earned promotion this past season and will be the first fully independent women’s team in the Women’s Super League.
That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 5/21/25
The U.S. Open Cup journey resumes tonight, Javier Otero signs a new contract, Pride’s Sams and Abello called up, and more.

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. It is match day with Orlando City hosting Nashville SC tonight in Inter&Co Stadium. I hope you are able to make it out to support the club, since I will have to watch it on television. If you listen to The Mane Land PawedCast you know how much I want Orlando City to focus on the U.S. Open Cup — even at the expense of the Leagues Cup. For now, let’s get to the links.
Nashville is Next
As I mentioned above, the Lions take on Nashville SC in a U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 match tonight. Orlando City is riding a 12-match unbeaten streak through all competitions and has scored 14 goals in the past four games going back to its 5-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rowdies. The Lions will look to continue their goal scoring ways to advance to the quarterfinals.
Javier Otero Has a New Contract
Orlando City signed goalkeeper Javier Otero to a new contract through the 2026 season with options for 2027 and 2028. Otero joined the Orlando City Academy in 2017, moving his way up to Orlando City B and, eventually, the first team. The signing secures Orlando City’s backup keeper for the immediate future.
Pride USWNT Call-Ups
Emily Sams and Kerry Abello were both called up to the USWNT training camp. This is Abello’s first call-up to the U.S. Women’s National Team. Sams and Abello make up two of Emma Hayes’ 24-player roster for the upcoming friendlies against China and Jamaica. Other notable players include Naomi Girma, Lynn Biyendolo, and Lo’eau LaBonta.
USMNT Gold Cup News
Mauricio Pochettino has yet to name the final 26-player list for the Gold Cup. He has even put out there that he may give playing time to a goalkeeper other than Matt Turner. Pochettino sees the Gold Cup as a great opportunity for the team to bond during the last competition before the World Cup. Prior to the Gold Cup, the team has friendlies with Türkiye and Switzerland.
Free Kicks
- The Kansas City Current may have defeated the Pride last match, but they paid dearly for it.
- In sad news, former Sporting Kansas City player Gadi Kinda passed away. Kinda had been dealing with “a complex medical battle.”
- In the “I’m not at all surprised” category, Lionel Messi was not fined by the league for any of his antics during or after the loss to Orlando City, including his criticism of officials, which is usually an automatic fine.
- Congratulations to former USWNT player Becky Sauerbrunn who announced she is expecting a baby in October.
That will do it for today. Check back for our pre-match and post-match coverage tonight. You can also follow The Mane Land on Bluesky for match updates. Vamos Orlando!
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