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Lion Links: 3/9/17

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8 years ago

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Hello to all on this Thursday. As this is the first time that I have gotten to write something since the big game this past Sunday, all I can say is, “How awesome was that game?” I enjoyed the win very much — as I’m sure the fans out and about did too. If you were able to attend the stadium on opening day then I certainly envy you.

As for the soccer world, it is rocking! With MLS kicking off its season this past weekend news is flooding our gates left and right. On that note, let’s jump into Lion Links for today.

The Road Ahead Without Kaká

This should not be news to you — by now you should know that Kaká has officially been sidelined with a hamstring injury, with the Brazilian likely to miss six weeks of action. The point of emphasis now is moving forward. For Orlando City the goal is to move forward in a positive direction.

Kaká only managed 11 minutes before having to be subbed off, and Orlando City went on to not only score a goal but earn three points in a victory against NYCFC. It may not sound like a big deal to some, but winning and scoring without Kaká was a major achievement from a mental standpoint for the Lions.

The road ahead has been looked at by Will Parchman of www.MLSsoccer.com and he examines two possible options for replacing Kaká over the next six weeks. One option is Giles Barnes, who played well in Sunday’s victory, and the other is Carlos Rivas who was solid in the win as well.

Either way Orlando City goes, they’re bound to sacrifice the central channel in some regard without Kaká. The Brazilian is maybe the best pure reader of the game in MLS right now, and while he doesn’t have the agility of some other pure creative influences in the league, he sees so many steps ahead.

The Orlando Experience

Check out this awesome, awesome video created by The Soccer Tour from YouTube. It explores the sights and sounds from the first MLS game played in the new stadium. The video takes you on a journey from what the fans witnessed and just how amazingly beautiful the stadium truly is.

The World XI: Women’s Football

The World XI has been released by FIFPro, and the Orlando Pride had two players make the squad. Pride defender Ali Krieger and forward Alex Morgan are the two standouts currently representing the best players in the world.

Along with two Orlando Pride players, Carli Lloyd and Hope Solo from the U.S. Women’s National Team also appear in the best XI. This counts for four women of the USWNT to be chosen to make this list, which happens to be the most players represented from one country. Go USA!

Key Players Missing From USMNT

The dates for the qualifying matches are near for the U.S. Men’s National Team. With the games fast approaching, manager Bruce Arena has some concerns that not all of his best players will be available for certain dates.

“Between now and when the players report, there’s going to be a lot of issues, so we have a Plan A, a B and a C, and in a lot of cases we’re probably going to go to Plan C,” Arena added. “Two players, Clint Dempsey and Tim Howard, may not be available. It may be the case with Geoff. They’ve all been good players for the U.S. team. We’d like to have them all. The reality of the situation is that that’s not likely.”

This could be a concern for the squad, which has already dropped the first two games in qualifying before the departure of Jürgen Klinsmann. Hopefully Arena and company can figure out the best options and solutions as qualifying matches loom closer.

Talks of Another Joint Copa America

The Copa America Centenario was a major success this past summer. With hopes of similar results in the future, the United States hopes to remain the site for this special tournament. Ticket sales and television ratings reached peaks. For instance, FS1 earned its highest watched soccer game ever during the U.S. and Argentina semifinal.

A U.S. Soccer Federation spokesman confirmed that the federation is open to discussing the possibility of hosting the tournament again, and given the money involved it's easy to see why. A recent report by the USSF that was made public at its most recent Annual General Meeting revealed that the organization made $46 million in profit from hosting the tournament.

Eyes on Pulisic

Christian Pulisic continues to be one of the best USMNT players abroad. Yesterday in his Champions League match-up against Benfica, the 18-year-old managed a game-tying (aggregate) assist and then the game-winning goal, again on aggregate. His brilliant play pushed Borussia Dortmund through the round of 16 and now on to the quarterfinals.

As a fan of USMNT soccer, you have to be a fan of Pulisic. He has slowly become a star for Dortmund and continues his rise for the U.S. Men’s National Team. Look for him to be a very valuable piece moving forward in club and country play.

Ice Ice Baby…

OCSC plays the New England Revolution in MLS next. Just so you can get an idea of who and what we are up against, you have to check out New England forward Kei Kamara rapping with Vanilla Ice.

Power Move?

Zlatan Ibrahimovic could be lured away from Manchester United this off-season. If LA Galaxy have it their way, then Zlatan might be trading his Manchester red in for a Galaxy jersey, following the eventual path of David Beckham. This could be huge for Major League Soccer landing the talent of Zlatan and the charisma that comes along. He is easily one of the best players in the world and has been for a while now.

Barcelona Makes Huge Comeback

So many questions can be asked of the PSG team that essentially threw away the opportunity to advance in the Champions League tournament. PSG had a 4-0 lead on aggregate coming into the game. All they had to do was defend and hold the lead.

But they played against Barcelona. Nothing ever comes easy against such a high profile club and prolific offense. Barcelona not only managed to score goals but they managed to overcome the deficit and move on to the next round.

That is all from me today. Enjoy the second game week of the season and let your voice be heard through social media much like mine. That might be a cheap way of saying follow me on the twittersphere… you know, if you want to. @awesomeniemeier

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Lion Links: 2/21/25

Marco Pasalic’s soccer journey, MLS storylines to watch, USWNT shuts out Colombia, and much more.

Published

2 days ago

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February 21, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to the final day before the MLS season kicks off! I don’t know about you, but the off-season and preseason flew by for me. I’m ready to throw on some purple and cheer this weekend, even if I won’t have the pleasure of being there in person. Before we dive into today’s links though, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando Pride forward Amanda Allen!

Marco Pasalic Prepares for First MLS Season

Many eyes will be on Orlando City winger Marco Pasalic this season after the club signed him as its latest Designated Player. The 24-year-old spoke on how a strong work ethic was instilled in him at a young age from his parents while growing up in Germany. He also talked about his injury while with Borussia Dortmund and the difficulties he faced both physically and mentally to overcome it. He’s now in the City Beautiful after playing for Rijeka in Croatia and the dual-national shared some insight about his decision to become a Lion.

“I think getting the chance to see a new league, to make the next step in my career, for me, it’s a better step to come here than to stay in Croatia. That’s my opinion,” he said. “I like it here a lot so far. It’s an honor when a club really wants you, and I wanted to come here, also. My decision didn’t take long, either. Maybe one day before I said yes. Now, I want to bring this league to another level, to bring this club joy and play good games.”

MLS Storylines Ahead of 2025 Season

The 2025 MLS season is finally upon us and there are already plenty of storylines to keep an eye on after an interesting off-season. For Orlando, it’s a simple inquiry into if the club’s new players can truly replace the players who won’t be on the field for the Lions this year. Facundo Torres is gone and Wilder Cartagena is out for the season, and only time will tell if Pasalic and Eduard Atuesta can fill those voids.

There are many questions all over the league I’m looking forward to getting answers to as well. How quickly can Bruce Arena turn things around with the San Jose Earthquakes? Will Atlanta United’s attack live up to the hype? What will the Philadelphia Union look like without Jim Curtin at the helm? Can the Chicago Fire reach the playoffs under Gregg Berhalter? I have the feeling it’s going to be a really great season for the league.

USWNT Wins Against Colombia

In its first game of this year’s SheBelieves Cup, the United States Women’s National Team beat Colombia 2-0 in Houston. The first goal for the USWNT was wonderfully crafted and sparked by a nice ball over the top by Lily Yohannes to Yazmeen Ryan, who found Catarina Macario in front of the net. It’s great to see Macario scoring again for the U.S. after she missed out on the Olympics due to injury. Ally Sentnor scored her first international goal by doubling the USWNT’s lead with a great strike from distance that you can check out below.

Orlando Pride defender Emily Sams didn’t come off the bench, but the defense still did well to shut out Colombia. The USWNT’s next match will come on Sunday against an Australian team that got beaten 4-0 by Japan.

Keeping Up With the Americans Abroad

After a rough week that included many Americans getting eliminated from the UEFA Champions League, attention now turns to a weekend filled with soccer. Former Lion Daryl Dike and West Brom will host Oxford United on Saturday, with Josh Sargent, Brenden Aaronson, and Ethan Horvath as other Americans to watch in the EFL Championship. In the English Premier League, Antonee Robinson and Fulham will take on Chris Richards, Matt Turner, and Crystal Palace. The usual suspects like Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, and Tyler Adams are also set to take the field. If looking for a game off the beaten path, Damion Downs could score his 10th goal of the season when Cologne faces Fortuna Dusseldorf on Sunday in Germany’s second division.

Luis Rubiales Guilty of Sexual Assault

Luis Rubiales was found guilty of sexual assault for kissing Jenni Hermoso following the 2023 Women’s World Cup. As a result, he was ordered to pay more than $10,400 in fines and is prohibited from being within 200 meters of Hermoso and from communicating with her for a year. The prosecution had asked for a prison sentence of a year for sexual assault and a year-and-a-half for coercion, the latter of which he was acquitted of. FIFPRO issued a statement standing in solidarity with Hermoso and other victims of sexual assault, while also stating that the courts must send a stronger message in regards to the level of punishment.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City and the Orlando Pride announced a partnership with Jameson Irish Whiskey. I’ve actually never tried Jameson, as I’m a bit more of a tropical cocktail kind of guy when it comes to libations.
  • LAFC has a new Designated Player after signing Turkish winger Cengiz Under on loan from Fenerbahce through June 30, with an option to buy. He should add even more firepower to a potent LAFC attack that includes Olivier Giroud, Denis Bouanga, and Jeremy Ebobisse.
  • This year’s MLS Competition Guidelines include an interesting addition where only a team’s captain should approach the referee. If crowded by multiple players, the ref is to signal that to the players and only the captain can be within four meters of the referee, with intruding players being shown a yellow card.
  • Former Orlando City B forward Ates Diouf is joining Detroit City FC on loan from Lexington SC for the USL Championship season.
  • Former Orlando Pride midfielder Meggie Dougherty Howard has signed with Calgary Wild FC of the Northern Super League.

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

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Lion Links: 2/20/25

Marco Pasalic named an MLS newcomer to watch, Houston Dynamo sign Nico Lodeiro, USWNT takes on Colombia today, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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February 20, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? We’re only a few days away from the start of Orlando City’s 2025 season and I can’t wait. There’s also plenty of women’s soccer to enjoy thanks to the SheBelieves Cup. It’s a great time to be a soccer fan here in the U.S. Let’s dive right into today’s links!

Marco Pasalic Noted as MLS Newcomer to Watch

Orlando City signed Marco Pasalic as a Designated Player this off-season to help fill the void left by Facundo Torres, and he was noted as one of the top newcomers in the league for 2025. While I don’t think he’s expected to fully replace the goal contributions Torres provided, I’m hoping he can unlock defenses and am looking forward to seeing some overlapping runs between him and Dagur Dan Thorhallsson on the right wing.

The rest of the list has multiple players on Eastern Conference teams who could have Orlando fans reaching for the liquor cabinet this season, including Charlotte FC’s Wilfried Zaha, FC Cincinnati striker Kevin Denkey, and Atlanta United’s shiny new striker, Emmanuel Latte Lath.

Nico Lodeiro Signs With the Houston Dynamo

Midfielder Nico Lodeiro, who mutually agreed to terminate his contract with Orlando City earlier this week, has officially signed with the Houston Dynamo on a deal through 2025 with an option for 2026. This signing was reported leading up to his departure from Orlando, and he should be able to get some solid playing time with the Dynamo. Lodeiro had 11 assists with the Lions last season and is great from set piece situations, so he should be able to help a Houston team that made the playoffs last season but only scored 47 goals.

USWNT Takes On Colombia Today

The 2025 SheBelieves Cup kicks off today and the United States Women’s National Team will face off against Colombia at 8 p.m. in Houston. It will be the USWNT’s first match of the year and Head Coach Emma Hayes’ first time coaching the U.S. during the SheBelieves Cup. The team will be without star players like Trinity Rodman, Naomi Girma, and Sophia Wilson (née Smith) but still has plenty of talented players to get the job done. Colombia should present a solid challenge for the U.S., as it reached the quarterfinals of both the 2023 World Cup and 2024 Olympics. After this match, the USWNT is set to take on Australia in Arizona on Sunday before closing out the tournament in San Diego on Wednesday against Japan.

MLS Clubs Begin Champions Cup Campaigns

The Concacaf Champions Cup is underway and there are many MLS sides aiming to start the tournament off on the right foot. The Seattle Sounders’ new signings from FC Dallas linked up for a goal just three minutes into their match with Guatemalan club Antigua GFC, with Jesus Ferreira teeing up Paul Arriola’s goal at the top of the box. Antigua equalized later in the first half, but the Sounders struck twice in the second half for a 3-1 victory. In Costa Rica, Real Salt Lake and Herediano battled to a scoreless draw. Lionel Messi scored the lone goal in Inter Miami’s 1-0 win against Sporting Kansas City in a bitter cold game that exemplifies why MLS should not switch to a winter schedule.

UEFA Champions League Roundup

Only 16 teams remain in the UEFA Champions League after the latest round of matches. Most of Wednesday’s drama was in PSV Eindhoven’s 3-1 win over Juventus. American forward Tim Weah scored for Juventus, but PSV advanced thanks to a goal from defender Ryan Flamingo in extra time. In Spain, Kylian Mbappe had a hat trick in Real Madrid’s 3-1 victory against Manchester City, eliminating the English club from the tournament. Paris Saint-Germain booked its spot in the round of 16 in convincing fashion as well, with seven different players finding the back of the net in a 7-0 home win over Brest. After a 3-0 win in the first leg, a scoreless draw at home against Sporting CP was enough for Borussia Dortmund to advance to the next round too.

The draw for the round of 16 is on Friday and should deliver on some fun matchups. Either Barcelona or Liverpool will face PSG, with the other getting Benfica. We may also get Real Madrid against Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich against Bayer Leverkusen.

Free Kicks

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

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Lion Links: 2/19/25

Halliday and Lodeiro are out, Cartagena’s season is over, the SheBelieves Cup starts tomorrow, and more.

Published

4 days ago

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February 19, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers! Orlando City continues to see more departures than arrivals to the roster with the season opener looming this weekend. Sure would be cool if the Lions added an experienced MLS striker this week. Alas, I feel it’s not in the cards. I’m sure it’ll be fine.

In better news, it’s Marta’s 39th birthday! Happy nirthday to the captain from all of us here at The Mane Land. Let’s get to the links.

Lions Say Goodbye to Halliday, Lodeiro

Both Michael Halliday and Nico Lodeiro have departed Orlando City. Halliday was traded to the Houston Dynamo for a first-round pick in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft. With Dagur Dan Thorhallsson starting at right back and Alex Freeman moving into the number two spot behind him, it made sense for Halliday to try to get minutes elsewhere.

Nico Lodeiro mutually agreed to terminate his contract with the club. Lodeiro’s departure will free up $800,000 salary for the club and allow Lodeiro to pursue more playing time at another club. According to Tom Bogert, that club may also be the Houston Dynamo. Given Lodeiro’s role off the bench for Orlando City, this is a move that makes sense for both the player and the club.

Cartagena Out for the Season

While the news was expected, Orlando City officially placed Wilder Cartagena on the Season-Ending Injury list. The midfielder suffered the injury in the preseason match against Atletico Mineiro. The surgery on his left Achilles tendon was successful, but he will still be out for the remainder of the season. Fortunately, the Lions brought in Eduard Atuesta to shore up the midfield. While Orlando City may even be better with Atuesta on the pitch, losing Cartagena still hurts the team depth.

Orlando City in the Top 10?

The off-season was not as long as usual, thanks to Orlando City’s run to the Eastern Conference final. Despite the shorter time frame, I had forgotten how useless, dumb, and yet fun power rankings can be. I’d warn you against spoilers, but these rankings mean absolutely nothing — especially before a match has been played — so I’ll just tell you that the Lions came in at number nine. However, I won’t spoil why they made the top 10, nor which Ft. Lauderdale based club is in the top spot.

SheBelieves Cup Starts Thursday

The USWNT plays its first match of the 2025 SheBelieves Cup Thursday at 8 p.m. The match will take place at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston. Unless you plan on traveling to Texas, you’ll have to watch it on TV or streaming. The Orlando Pride’s Emily Sams is on the squad and will hopefully see some minutes for Emma Hayes.

Free Kicks

  • In the “isn’t that mildly interesting” category, Pete Mangione will appear for FC Cincinnati.

That will do it for today. Check back everyday as we get you ready for the season opener on Saturday. Vamos Orlando!

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