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Lion Links: 1/28/17

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8 years ago

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The fallout from the Kevin Molino trade is just starting to settle over the landscape of the league two days later. Analysts and pundits are still trying to make sense of it and Orlando City is apparently looking to add another attacking player, no doubt utilizing some of that record amount of allocation money. Alicia DelGallo of the Orlando Sentinel says they’re in the market for a specific level of addition.

The mentioned player is Christian Cueva, a Peruvian midfielder currently with Sao Paulo. They have reportedly rejected any advances from Orlando, but it’s an interesting sign that they’re trying to reinvest that money and quickly. With only a few days left until most transfer windows around the world close. I wouldn’t mind seeing us wait until summer when clubs are more willing to sell. We have solid enough pieces to hold our own for the first half of the year. There are a lot of directions the club could go and rushing it would be a mistake. Nonetheless, I’ll be refreshing Twitter nonstop until March 4 hoping for a bombshell.

While you wait, likely doing something similar, here are some links for you to peruse.

Orlando City Adds GK Depth

As part of the blockbuster trade for Kevin Molino, Orlando sent away backup goalkeeper Patrick McLain. Boss Jason Kreis has been adamant about having experienced depth at every position and mentioned that the Lions were looking to replace McLain. The front office moved quickly, acquiring the services of MLS veteran Josh Saunders in exchange for the team’s natural fourth-round draft pick in 2019. Kreis worked with Saunders in 2013 and 2015 at Real Salt Lake and New York City FC, respectively.

It looks like a good deal on the surface for the Lions as Saunders has been a member of as many MLS Cup-winning teams as Patrick McLain has MLS appearances (3). He should be able to push Joe Bendik a little better than he was last year. The best part is that Earl Edwards, Jr. probably doesn’t have to spend another entire season on the bench and can get some meaningful game time with Orlando City B.

USL Announces Home Openers

It will be a miniature version of the I-4 Derby to start the United Soccer League season as OCB is slated to travel to St. Petersburg and open the year in Al Lang Stadium on March 25 against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. It will be weird to see Luke Boden wearing the green and gold hoops of the Rowdies for the first time. They’ll finally get to play a match in the new downtown digs on March 30 as the young Lions welcome former Lion James O’Connor and Louisville City FC. It’s unfortunate that they have to open the home schedule on a Thursday but I suppose that’s a drawback of having three teams sharing the same stadium. But I think the trade-off of centralizing the first and second teams is probably worth it. The rest of the schedule for OCB’s second season should drop soon.

Brek Shea is Feeling Good

Things haven’t gone according to plan for the former Stoke City winger since he returned stateside but that might be changing this year. Kreis has already done away with the left back idea and he’s back in an attacking role for 2017. There’s a common theme going around preseason training that everyone is feeling fitter after they were given workout regimens by Kreis to make sure they could focus on training. Shea is also overcoming a slight injury, but that shouldn’t be a concern entering the new year. Hopefully Brek can make his mark on the team in the coming campaign.

City Players Excited for New Stadium

There’s been a lot of talk about what Orlando City’s new downtown stadium will mean for the fans. The parking and tailgating changes, the safe standing section, and the march from Church Street just two blocks to the ground have all been talked about at length. But Jason Kreis has been adamant about how the new atmosphere will push the players, and as Simon Veness of MLSSoccer.com says, the players are just as excited as the fans.

“We shouldn’t lose any home game there,” said Cyle Larin. “The fans deserve it and I think it will create a great atmosphere when we play there.”

And even more important than the atmosphere could be the grass. The turf at Camping World Stadium has claimed several ligaments over the past two years so hopefully we can keep people healthy for the whole year.

“Playing on grass is totally different. It’s much better,” said Antonio Nocerino. “The speed and bounce of the ball; a player’s movement, directions, timing; everything is different. It is more natural and normal for us to play on grass again. Now we need to turn this stadium into the definition of a home advantage. We want to make teams coming in uncomfortable and make each home game feel like a cup final.”

It will be great to finally see it all put together on March 5.

Bruce Arena Selects Squad for First Friendly of 2017

The USMNT has cut some of the members of Camp Cupcake as the team prepares to face Serbia tomorrow. It’s a side almost entirely made up of MLS players including Dax McCarty and Graham Zusi of Winter Park and Longwood, respectively. Jozy Altidore is set to earn his 100th cap with the national side, a feat only achieved by 16 Americans so far.

Taylor Kemp, Keegan Rosenberry, Brian Rowe, Wil Trapp, and Chris Wondolowski were released back to their clubs and did not make the cut. It’s great to see guys that were left out in the cold under Jurgen Klinsmann back in the team like McCarty and Benny Feilhaber. Hopefully Arena’s new methodology will be enough to jump-start the team in the World Cup Qualifiers coming up in March.

Phoenix Joins Race for MLS Expansion

MLS likes the idea of filling holes in the map. So to fill the giant gap between Los Angeles and Dallas, as well as get involved in one of the largest media markets in the country, the league has invited Phoenix Rising FC to enter the expansion coversation. Fans of Orlando City during its USL days will remember the club as Arizona United SC, which at one point had City legends Rob Valentino, Dennis Chin, and Long Tan under contract at the same time.

The league has considered Phoenix for the last 13 years, ever since officials toured potential stadium sites. They join Detroit, Sacramento, San Diego, and Cincinnati, among others, who could potentially submit expansion bids for the next four teams allowed in. Having land for a stadium gives them a leg up over some outfits if the league wants to avoid another situation like Beckham’s Miami franchise. The deadline for submissions for places 25 and 26 is Tuesday.

Those are all of the Lion Links we have for you on this fine Saturday. Remember to check back in for our coverage of the national team’s friendlies in the coming days and enjoy the rest of your weekend.

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Lion Links: 1/30/25

Orlando City reveals kickoff events, women’s transfer market grows, Tanner Tessmann named U.S. Young Male Player of the Year, and more.

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20 hours ago

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January 30, 2025

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Dan MacDonald, The Mane Land

We’re all another day closer to the return of Orlando soccer and I can’t wait. I’ve been whittling the days away with reading, writing, and taking far too many photos of my cat. This month has flown by for me, and I’m not complaining too much about it. Let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world.

Orlando City Announces Kickoff Events

In preparation for Orlando City’s 2025 season, the club announced various events before the season opener at home against the Philadelphia Union on Feb. 22. The launch for the team’s new primary kit will take place on Feb. 12 at the Canvas Event Venue, with fans in attendance able to get the jersey and meet players. Other events throughout February include a chalk talk, musical bingo night, and plenty of ways to get merch ahead of the season. However, the Purple Pride 5K is not listed, which is a bit disappointing considering it would have been the 10th annual edition of the event.

Analyzing the Women’s Soccer Transfer Market

American defender Naomi Girma’s move from San Diego Wave FC to Chelsea was the first to break the $1 million threshold for transfer fees in women’s soccer and The Athletic ($) dove into which players could warrant similar spending from clubs in the future. Orlando Pride forward Barbra Banda was one such player noted. Banda did fantastic in her first season in the league last year, starred in the past two Olympics, and is still only 24 years old. Only time will tell if Europe can entice her before her contract in Orlando is up, but clubs would likely pay seven figures for her services. Americans Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman could also surpass that $1 million mark, along with NWSL MVP Temwa Chawinga and Paris FC’s Clara Mateo.

Tanner Tessmann Named U.S. Young Male Player of the Year

U.S. Soccer announced that midfielder Tanner Tessmann was voted 2024 U.S. Soccer Young Male Player of the Year after a solid year for both club and country. The 23-year-old captained the U.S. at the Olympics last summer and started for the senior team in both Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal games against Jamaica. A regular starter for Venezia last year, Tessmann scored in the promotion playoffs to help the team earn a spot in Serie A. He was then transferred to Olympique Lyon in August and has taken part in the Europa League. Tessmann received 70% of the vote, winning the award over Gianluca Busio and Niko Tsakiris.

Champions League First Stage Wraps Up

The UEFA Champions League’s league phase is finally over, with eight clubs already through to the round of 16 and 16 set to take part in a knockout round. Manchester City escaped elimination after a 3-1 win over Club Brugge that resulted in both teams advancing to the knockout stage. A hat trick from Ousmane Dembele lifted Paris Saint-Germain to a 4-1 win against Stuttgart and secure 15th in the standings. Aston Villa, Lille, and Bayer Leverkusen all won to clinch a spot in the round of 16, all three benefiting from Atalanta coming up short in a 2-2 draw with Barcelona. AC Milan lost 2-1 to Dinamo Zagreb in a match that included Christian Pulisic scoring and Yunus Musah being sent off. Liverpool’s perfect run came to an end following a 3-2 loss to PSV Eindhoven, but it still topped the standings.

While I found the new league phase to be a bit underwhelming, the knockout stage should provide some intriguing matchups. The draw will take place on Friday, but we already know that Manchester City will play either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich and Juventus will face either AC Milan or PSV Eindhoven.

Free Kicks

  • MLS Season Pass will broadcast a featured game with enhanced production on Sunday nights. It’s a solid strategy and hopefully it can catch on and become something fans across the country look forward to each week.
  • The Chicago Fire are set for a nice payday if Jhon Duran completes his move from Aston Villa to Al-Nassr.
  • Giovanni Reyna earned some style points for this assist in Borussia Dortmund’s 3-1 win against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League.

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: 1/29/25

Orlando City’s cup competitions, Orlando Pride’s new home kit leak, NWSL’s top 2025 matches, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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January 29, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Orlando City’s preseason continues in Mexico, where the Lions played a closed door match against Canadian Premier League club Forge FC in Cancun on Tuesday. The club didn’t release any details on the match (more on that below), but the feature image is from the scrimmage. For now, let’s get to today’s links!

Orlando City Cup Competitions

Orlando City will compete in two of the four North American cup competitions in 2025. After a year away, the Lions return to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup along with 15 other MLS clubs and 10 MLS Next Pro participants. Orlando City will also take part in the Leagues Cup with 17 other MLS clubs and 18 Liga MX clubs. The Lions did not qualify for the Concacaf Champions Cup, nor will they compete in the Canadian Championship for obvious geographical reasons.

Lions Remain Scoreless in Preseason

While Orlando City didn’t release any details from Tuesday’s scrimmage, the folks at TrueNorthFoot reported that the Lions and Forge FC played to a 0-0 draw in Cancun Tuesday. The photos released by the club mostly featured younger players, and it’s not surprising that the offense isn’t sharp at this stage, but at least the defense is doing well through two matches. The next scrimmage will take place Feb. 5 against Atlanta United.

Pride Home Kit Leak?

From now on, all Orlando Pride kits will have a star above the crest (or more, pending future results). Like many of you, I’ve eagerly awaited what the next home kit will look like. We now have a glimpse, if a leak from Footy Headlines is accurate.

ohwww.footyheadlines.com/2025/01/mass…

— andré (@838carlisle.bsky.social) 2025-01-28T15:14:13.357Z

I really hope that picture doesn’t convey how purple the kit is supposed to be. I’m also not a big fan of the crest in the center thing, but they don’t let me make those decisions. If the new kit doesn’t float your boat, you can pick up some previous Pride kits from the club’s official shop at a nice discount.

The Orlando Pride are Must-Watch TV

As the defending NWSL Shield and NWSL Cup winners, it’s not a surprise that the Orlando Pride earned three spots on All for XI’s Top 10 Must-Watch NWSL Games in 2025 list, including the top spot. The matches against NJ/NY Gotham FC, the Kansas City Current, and of course, a rematch against the Washington Spirit will certainly draw big viewership numbers.

NWSL Expansion Update

An official announcement adding Denver to the cities with an NWSL club is expected in the near future. Prior to that commissioner Jessica Berman hinted that there are plans to further expand the league. If Denver joins as planned, the team’s ownership will pay a record $110 million franchise fee. You can expect those fees to continue to grow as the league does the same.

Free Kicks

  • Remember Amro Tarek? He made 20 appearances for Orlando City back in 2018. If you don’t remember him, that’s all right since Austin FC supporters will almost certainly remember him for this fun fact.
  • Some pretty big names have left the NWSL for other shores. While the story includes the Pride’s Mariana Larroquette, she’s not quite the biggest name on the list, and she’s also only on loan until July 1.
  • The U.S. Open Cup has tweaked the competition rules so that teams must use primary venues when possible. If they cannot, the team will be on the hook for any differences in the cost to broadcast the match.

That will do it for today. Have a great rest of the week. Vamos Orlando!

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Lion Links: 1/28/25

Wilder Cartagena injury reports, Orlando City B’s 2025 schedule, Americans in the UEFA Champions League, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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January 28, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Good morning, everyone! It was nice to get a first look at the 2025 edition of Orlando City on Saturday, but the experience was sullied by an injury that we’ll speak more about shortly. Regardless, we continue to march towards the start of the season with a closed-door scrimmage against Forge FC up next on the docket today. We have a ton to discuss this morning, so let’s get into the links.

Wilder Cartagena Injury Reports

Wilder Cartagena exited Orlando City’s preseason game against Atletico Mineiro with a non-contact injury, naturally leading to fears about what the injury would be. While the club has not released a diagnosis at the time of writing, reports are emerging that the Peruvian midfielder suffered an injury to his Achilles tendon. There are some reports that go as far as saying that he will undergo surgery soon. If true, Cartagena could be sidelined for anywhere from a few months or up to a year, depending on the severity of the injury. We’ll keep you updated as more news becomes available.

Orlando City B Schedule Released

In much more pleasant news, the MLS NEXT Pro schedule was released, which means that we have OCB’s roadmap for the upcoming season. The Young Lions will get the season started at home on Sunday, March 9 against Columbus Crew 2 with a 7 p.m. kickoff. OCB closes the season at home against FC Cincinnati 2 on Decision Day, which will be on Sunday, Oct. 5. The team will play 14 home games, 13 away games, and one at the neutral site of IMG Academy in Bradenton. Most of the games will be streamed on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, with the rest appearing on mlsnextpro.com.

Americans in Champions League Action

The UEFA Champions League will have its final matchday of the league phase on Wednesday, and there are a lot of Americans who will be competing. Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, and AC Milan can guarantee a place in the top eight of the standings with a win when they welcome Dinamo Zagreb to San Siro. Ricardo Pepi, Richy Ledezma, and Esmir Bajraktarević also have a lot to play for with PSV Eindhoven, as a loss or draw risks the club being overtaken and eliminated from the competition. Aside from Juventus, all other teams featuring Americans are placed anywhere from 14th-24th, so the stakes are high during this week’s action.

NWSL News Roundup

Monday was a busy day for the National Women’s Soccer League, so let’s get caught up. The Houston Dash acquired former Orlando Pride forward Messiah Bright in a trade with Angel City FC. The Dash sent $100,000 in inter-league transfer funds to Angel City in exchange, and that number could increase by up to $50,000 with incentives. The Chicago Stars noted that Mallory Swanson has not joined the team for the start of camp due to personal reasons. Jenna Nighswonger has reportedly been sold to Arsenal for a fee of $100,000.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City went old school to bring us a look at Monday morning’s training session.
  • The Pride meanwhile, opted for a more traditional route.
  • Congratulations are in order for the team of Baby Lions that became the PreMLS NAC Champions for the 2013 age group!
  • Former Lion and cowboy hat enthusiast Benji Michel is training with Nashville SC.

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

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