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Lion Links: 1/25/17

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10 years ago

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Hello, Mane Landers. There are now just 39 days until Orlando City’s 2017 MLS season opener against New York City FC at the brand spankin’ new as-yet-unnamed downtown stadium. The lads in purple are on the pitch daily working hard for Jason Kreis in preparation for the campaign to come. I, for one, cannot wait.

Despite the lack of games for Orlando City and the Orlando Pride, there is plenty going on. Let’s just dive headfirst into today’s Lion Links.

Lions Get Their Defender

Well, now we know the rumors were true. Orlando City signed former USMNT defender Jonathan Spector yesterday, giving the club an experienced veteran anchor for the back line. Spector can help a number of positions, but if he can partner with one of the Lions’ incumbent center backs to nail the middle shut, Orlando City’s playoff prospects will improve dramatically. It would be nice for Joe Bendik not to have to make nearly so many spectacular saves in 2017.

Speaking of rumors about defenders, this one popped up suggesting Orlando City may have had other thoughts about the defense that didn’t quite come to pass.

Pride Switch Goalkeeping Coaches

Tom Sermanni added former Washington Spirit goalkeeper coach Lloyd Yaxley to his staff yesterday, replacing Marcos Machado. Machado, you may recall, was the goalkeeper coach for Orlando City in 2015 before moving over to the Pride last year. There’s no proof he’s going to work for OCB next, but hey, he might as well complete the full set. Machado did a solid job in his time with the Pride, but it certainly won’t hurt to bring in someone with whom Ashlyn Harris is familiar.

Kaylyn Kyle Out?

Staying with the Pride for a moment, it certainly appears that Canadian international midfielder Kaylyn Kyle is on her way out of the City Beautiful. She has been tweeting about big changes coming and the inclusion of a soccer ball makes it seem like those changes involve her career.

Also there’s this, from a respected journalist who covers women’s soccer:

Kyle had a bit of an inconsistent season in 2016 with the Pride, but she was also asked to take on several different roles over the course of the season, including center back. Still, Sermanni seems to be overhauling a roster that just wasn’t good enough after a surprisingly successful start. Let’s see how this plays out and whether we’ve seen the last of Kyle in an Orlando uniform.

Orlando City Academy Stacks Up Well in MLS

Will Parchman over at Top Drawer Soccer ranked the pro academies of all the MLS clubs. Despite not having been around for nearly as long as some, Orlando City’s did well, grading out at No. 9 on his list. His objective:

This list more or less serves as a heat check, a plunging thermometer into each MLS team’s academy system to gauge the vitality of its lifeblood. It should be taken as an objective measure of each academy’s collective coaching acumen, the technical level of its players and its connection to the first team.

Minnesota United is the only club not represented on the list because, as Parchman put it, the team “has yet to fire up its academy.”

Parchman names Pierre Da Silva as the Orlando City pro academy’s best prospect and forward Joe Gallardo as its best current player, and said some nice things overall about the academy:

Orlando City’s academy is loaded with talent, and the captures of U.S. U19 teammates Pierre da Silva and Joe Gallardo, the latter of whom played in the 2015 U17 World Cup, were the stories of 2016. Homegrown talents like Mason Stajduhar prove the club is actively scouring its academy for talent, and recently added academy head David Longwell (formerly of St. Mirren) has said all the right things. We’ll have to wait for an Orlando City academy kid to crack the first team before moving the club further, but Orlando City gets high marks. 

Evidently Parchman is quite high on Da Silva, because over at MLSSoccer.com he also wrote that Pierre is one of five up-and-coming players who deserve playing time in 2017.

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Orlando City Life-President Phil Rawlins was featured in the Orlando Business Journal, discussing the club’s use of technology. The takeaway is a new app should launch “in the next few weeks” and folks in VIP seats will be able to order concessions from their seats…Former Orlando Homegrown defender Tyler Turner is on trial with New England Revolution…Freddy Adu never seems to go away. He is apparently getting a try-out with the Portland Timbers…Seattle Sounders and USMNT star Clint Dempsey has been cleared to practice. If Deuce continues to progress, he might be able to play in the March World Cup qualifiers…Those born on this date include writer Virginia Woolf (1882), legendary sportscaster Ernie Harwell (1918), kicker Lou “The Toe” Groza (1924), Disney film star Dean Jones (1931), blues/jazz/R&B/gospel star Etta James (1938), NASCAR’s Buddy Baker (1941), horror film director Tobe Hooper (1943), hockey’s Chris Chelios (1962), Spain and Barcelona soccer legend Xavi (1980), Alicia Keys (1981), Bayer Leverkusen forward Stefan Kiessling (1984), and Brazilian forward Robinho (1984).

That’s all the time I have, folks. Stay tuned for more Orlando City news. We expect the club’s full preseason schedule to be released any day now…maybe today!

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Lion Links: 10/23/26

Orlando City prepares for New York City FC, Antoine Griezmann’s impact in Orlando, U.S. will host FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, and more.

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1 day ago

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October 23, 2026

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Image of Antoine Griezmann taking a set piece against Monterrey in Leagues Cup action.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! It’s been a pretty nice week for me, as I was able to watch all of Slow Horses and finish reading Bad Words by Rioghnach Robinson, both of which were brilliant. Attention now turns to this weekend’s soccer, with both Orlando City and the Orlando Pride playing at home over the next couple of days. Let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Prepares for New York City FC

The Lions host New York City FC on Saturday in one of the marquee matchups in MLS as the regular season nears its conclusion. Plenty has changed since Orlando’s 5-0 loss to NYCFC on March 7. The Lions have clawed their way up the table while the Pigeons have only won once in their past 13 league games. NYCFC enters this match after a 1-1 draw with LAFC that included an equalizer by former Lion Andres Perea to give the team a valuable point amid the playoff race. Nicolas Fernandez Mercau, Luighi, and Benie Traore are all NYCFC players the Lions will need to keep in check, or else it could end up being another high-scoring affair in the City Beautiful.

Antoine Griezmann’s Impact on Orlando’s Offense

Orlando’s wait for Antoine Griezmann to join in the summer has proven to be well worth it, as he’s transformed Orlando’s attack into a force to be reckoned with just as the playoffs near. Although Griezmann wasn’t able to enjoy a fairytale ending with Atletico Madrid by lifting the Copa del Rey or Champions League trophies this year, he’s breathed life into an Orlando side that struggled mightily prior to his arrival. The 35-year-old has recorded 12 goals and seven assists in just 14 appearances this season. Not only has he excelled when it comes to getting the ball in the net, but he’s done well in terms of defensive metrics and intangibles as well.

U.S. Will Host Women’s Club World Cup

The inaugural FIFA Women’s Club World Cup will be held in the U.S. in January of 2028 with the host cities still to be determined. There will be 19 clubs taking part, with Gotham, Arsenal, Barcelona, and Club America having already qualified along with three other teams so far. This tournament is sandwiched between the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil and the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, so there’s plenty of exciting women’s soccer to look forward to in the coming years.

U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team Wins at World Cup

The United States U-17 Women’s National Team won 6-1 against Kenya in the group stage of the FIA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, clinching a spot in the round of 16. Maggie DiMaria scored four goals to bring her total to 10 across just two games. The U.S. will play its final group game on Sunday against China PR, which also won both of its games against Kenya and Samoa to secure a spot in the knockout stage. The winner of this group will get to avoid a match with Spain in the round of 16, so there’s still plenty to play for before the next round gets underway.

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  • The first leg of the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal between the United States Men’s National Team and Haiti has been moved from Kingston to Miami. Haiti has had to play games outside of the country due to unrest and submitted a request to Concacaf to play in the country of its opponent.
  • American center back Naomi Girma is now dealing with a calf injury that may sideline her for a few weeks according to Chelsea Head Coach Sonia Bompastor. She missed out on the team’s recent friendlies against Spain and may be absent for the Concacaf W Championship quarterfinal against El Salvador next month too.
  • The United States Women’s Cerebral Palsy National Team beat Ireland 15-0 to advance to the IFCPF Women’s World Cup final, which takes place today against Australia. Annie Wickett scored five goals with four other players scoring braces.
  • The San Diego Wave signed defender Mimi Van Zanten to a contract extension through the 2029 season. She’s made 27 appearances for San Diego during her rookie season, helping the club keep pace in the NWSL Shield race.
  • After being stretchered off the field due to a head injury in the U.S. Open Cup final, St. Louis City goalkeeper Roman Burki is alert and in good spirits, according to the club.

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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Lion Links: 10/22/26

Martin Ojeda wins MLS Goal of the Matchday, MLS award contenders, sights and sounds from the Orlando Pride’s win, and more.

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2 days ago

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October 22, 2026

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Image of Maxime Crepeau taking a goal kick against Atlanta.
Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

How’s it going, Mane Landers? The temperatures have gotten just cool enough here in Florida as of late for me to feel like it’s truly autumn. While it would be nice if our leaves changed colors to really sell the fall feeling, a pumpkin candle and apple cider have definitely helped. Let’s get to the links!

Martin Ojeda Wins MLS Goal of the Matchday

Orlando City Designated Player Martin Ojeda predictably won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his fantastic finish in the team’s 4-1 win over D.C. United, garnering 71.7% of the vote. Ojeda’s acrobatic backheel capped off a smooth series of passes by the Lions and it will likely be in the running for MLS Goal of the Year as well. It was Ojeda’s 15th goal of the season and he has scored in five of Orlando’s past six games.

MLS Year-End Award Voting Begins

The voting for this year’s MLS Year-End Awards has opened and the finalists for each award will be announced on Nov. 12. Former MLS star Bradley Wright-Phillips weighed in on who he thinks the contenders for each award are and there were a few Lions mentioned. Antoine Griezmann is in the running for Newcomer of the Year alongside Houston Dynamo attacker Guilherme, who has 16 goals and 10 assists this season. Maxime Crepeau may make the list of finalists for Goalkeeper of the Year for his incredible run of form since the World Cup, but it’s hard to see him winning it given just how many goals the Lions have conceded compared to other teams. Justin Ellis was also an honorable mention for the Young Player of the Year award for his breakout season.

Sights and Sounds From the Orlando Pride’s Victory

The Orlando Pride released a video showing the sights and sounds from their 2-1 win on the road against the Houston Dash. The video includes huddle talks from Marta and interim head coach Yolanda Thomas, as well as the goals by Luana and Solai Washington. It’s been a difficult year for the Pride and it’s nice to see some highlights as they aim to close out the season strongly after being eliminated from playoff contention.

UEFA Champions League Roundup

The third round of matches in the UEFA Champions League’s league phase wrapped up and we’re getting a better sense of where the teams stand. Bayern Munich and Arsenal played to a 2-2 draw in Germany, with Declan Rice scoring a late equalizer for Arsenal. Elsewhere across Europe, Manchester United was beaten 4-1 by Como, Inter scored while down a man to beat Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0, and Austrian club LASK won its first Champions League game by upsetting Sporting CP 3-2. Aston Villa, Real Madrid, and Real Betis all won to remain perfect in the tournament as well.

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

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Lion Links: 10/21/26

Justin Ellis recognized, the Orlando Youth Soccer Network expands, the USMNT adds a friendly, and more.

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3 days ago

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October 21, 2026

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Image of Justin Ellis dribbling the ball trying to beat a Philadelphia Union defender.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. The weather is getting a bit nicer. I’m actually able to have the windows open at night, which is delightful. However, the temperatures are rising a bit this week, which I find sad. I know we live in Florida, but gosh darn it, we’re only 10 days from Halloween. I should be wearing sweaters rather than shorts. I appreciate you allowing me to rant, now let’s get to the links.

Justin Ellis Named No. 5 of MLS 22 Under 22

Justin Ellis was rightly named to Major League Soccer’s 2026 22 Under 22 list. The Orlando City striker came in at No. 5 on the list. It’s not surprising, given the year he’s had. He’s busted into the starting lineup for Orlando City, and he has 16 goal contributions so far. He also received his first call-up to the USMNT, scoring a goal in his first match and two goals in the four-game window. He’s joined on the list by fellow USMNT teammates Cavan Sullivan and Julian Hall. This is his second accolade in the last week as he was also named 2026 MLS NEXT Pro Pathway Player of the Year.

New Orlando Soccer School Announced

Orlando City and the Orlando Pride are expanding the Orlando Youth Soccer Network with the addition of the Orlando Soccer School – Winter Haven. The organization is formerly known as the Winter Haven Soccer Club. The school will provide programming for boys and girls ages 3-19. This is an example of the top-to-bottom pipeline the organization is building to develop players for both the men’s and women’s clubs.

Orlando City B Season in Review

Like the Orlando Pride, Orlando City B did not make the post season in 2026. That doesn’t necessarily mean it wasn’t a success in other ways. Orlando City B is a developmental squad, and the reserve side did its job in developing prospects this season. Some OCB players made it into the first team, there were a record number of academy debuts, and the team saw several international call-ups. Given how inconsistent the squad was because of all the shuffling around, it’s not surprising the team struggled on the pitch at times. Hopefully, all the younger players getting time will set the team up for success next season.

USMNT to Face Jamaica in December

The USMNT added a friendly against Jamaica on December 13 in Miami. The match takes place outside of the international window, so we can expect Mauricio Pochettino to call up MLS players whose clubs have been eliminated from the playoffs. There’s also a possibility for some European-based players, but clubs are not required to release them. Prior to that, the team will be in action in against Haiti in the two quarterfinal legs of the Concacaf Nations League.

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

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