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Lion Links: 3/9/17

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9 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

Lion Links: 8/21/26

Orlando Pride prepare for the Washington Spirit, MLS playoff changes reportedly coming, Hall of Fame finalists unveiled, and more.

Published

2 days ago

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August 21, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! It’s been a bit of a rough month for all three of Orlando’s soccer teams, but hopefully they can turn things around this weekend. Things haven’t been great, but surely that just means things can only go up from here, right? Let’s get to the links!

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride are on the road this weekend for a match against the Washington Spirit on Sunday. It’s been a cruel summer for the Pride, as they’ve lost four of their past five games and are currently 13th in the league standings. Despite being on a three-game winless streak, the Spirit are second in the standings and will be a tough opponent for the Pride to face on the road. Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on where the team needs to improve in order to get a result away from home against one of the league’s top teams.

Changes Reportedly Coming to MLS Playoff Format

For the umpteenth time, MLS is reportedly planning on overhauling its playoff format. The changes would go into effect when the league changes its calendar and they include allowing 20 teams to qualify for the playoffs, with the overall league standings being used to determine those top 20 teams. After a play-in round, the remaining 16 teams will play in a double elimination format that also features reseeding between rounds. If these changes do come to pass, hopefully the league decides to stick with it rather than constantly fiddling it with it.

National Soccer Hall of Fame Finalists Announced

The finalists for the National Soccer Hall of Fame’s class of 2027 were announced, with nine candidates making the list in their first year of eligibility. Former Orlando Pride player Ali Krieger is one of those nine, along with Megan Rapinoe, Michael Bradley, and Jozy Altidore. Central Florida native Graham Zusi was also named as a finalist. The two players who receive the most votes and are on at least half the ballots will make the Hall of Fame, with a third player able to make it if they’re on 75% of ballots.

Storylines Ahead of English Premier League Season

The English Premier League season begins today with Arsenal starting its title defense at home against Coventry City. Arsenal has a talented team once again, but it will be interesting to see how much of a challenge Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester City can pose with new managers at the helm. Managers seem to be a focal point this season, as other storylines include whether or not Michael Carrick and Unai Emery can keep succeeding at Manchester United and Aston Villa, respectively. I’m just hoping we have an exciting title race by the time spring rolls around.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City’s Antoine Griezmann tied with Robert Lewandowski for the second-highest rating of all MLS players in EA Sports FC 27.

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: 8/20/26

Orlando City defeated at home, Simone Jackson loaned to FC Rosengard, U.S. U-20 Women’s World Cup roster unveiled, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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August 20, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Justin Glatt

I think we can confidently say Orlando City’s Wednesday night excellence has come to an end after last night’s loss. I’m not going to claim the new kits are cursed after just two games, but I’ve bought some sage just in case. Before we get to that match and more in today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman.

Orlando City Falls at Home

The Lions hosted the Chicago Fire and got burned in a 2-1 loss that included a lengthy weather delay that paused things right before halftime. The Fire struck first with an early goal, but Orlando leveled things after the lightning storm passed. However, Robert Lewandowski converted a penalty kick from a needless foul in the box for the winner, with the Lions failing to claw their way back a second time. It’s a disappointing result at home and Orlando will need to figure things out before hosting Real Salt Lake on Saturday.

Simone Jackson Heads to Sweden on Loan

The Orlando Pride loaned forward Simone Jackson to FC Rosengard in Sweden through June of 2027. Jackson was signed by the Pride in 2025 after four years playing collegiately at the University of Southern California and she has since made 20 appearances for the club. Hopefully this move gives her some more minutes to develop her game abroad so that she can make an impact with the Pride when she returns next summer.

U.S. U-20 Women’s World Cup Roster Announced

United States U-20 Women’s National Team Head Coach Vicky Jepson called up 21 players for the U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland next month, including eight from NWSL clubs. Goalkeeper Evan O’Steen, midfielders Kennedy Fuller and Nyanya Touray, and forward Emeri Adames are a few of the U.S. players to keep an eye out for this tournament.

The team will be without notable eligible players like Lily Yohannes, Claire Hutton, and Jordyn Bugg though, as youth tournaments take place outside of official FIFA windows when teams are required to release players. United States Women’s National Team Head Coach Emma Hayes also spoke on the importance of tournaments like this one to develop talent while uncertainty looms over the event due to UEFA’s boycott of FIFA competitions. The U.S. is set to start its campaign on Sept. 6 against Italy.

Americans to Watch in the English Premier League

The English Premier League season kicks off this weekend and there are a number of Americans to root for across the league. Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams, Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards, and Fulham defender Antonee Robinson are all still in the league but have new managers at the helm of their respective teams. Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United avoided relegation last season and will look to build on that, while Haji Wright and Coventry City will fight to stay after earning promotion last season. Unfortunately, Wright will miss multiple weeks at the start of the season due to a quad injury.

Free Kicks

  • Alhassan Yusuf scored a hat trick in the New England Revolution’s 3-0 win over D.C. United, with Jack Harrison recording three assists.
  • Americans Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty both played every minute of Celtic’s 3-0 win over LASK in the first leg of its matchup against the Austrian club in UEFA Champions League qualifying
  • Bay FC announced that the club and midfielder Tess Boade mutually agreed to terminate her contract, which was set to end after this season. Boade had been with the club since being selected in the 2024 NWSL Expansion Draft and was the captain last season.
  • Aston Villa signed goalkeeper Zion Suzuki from Parma for a reported $40 million transfer fee. Suzuki played for Japan at the recent World Cup and it will be interesting to see what this move means for Emiliano Martinez’s future at the club.
  • Brighton is covering the cost of tickets for its fans who will be making the trip to the Arctic Circle for its UEFA Conference League playoff match against Tromso in Norway.

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

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Lion Links: 8/19/26

Orlando City match day, Colin Guske reportedly being loaned to RSL, Banda is an MVP candidate, and more.

Published

4 days ago

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August 19, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Orlando City plays in a midweek match that thankfully isn’t a Leagues Cup match. There are those who will say they’re sad the Lions are out of Don Garber’s cash grab competition, but I’m not one of them. The U.S. Open Cup and the MLS regular season provide plenty of fixtures for now. The schedule congestion is real, as we can see this week. Let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Match Day

Orlando City hosts Robert Lewandowski and the Chicago Fire tonight in an Eastern Conference clash. Defending against Lewandowski and Philip Zinckernagel will be a tough task for the Lions’ defense. Orlando City will need its offense to keep pace with the Fire if the Lions are going to take any points from the match. It will be interesting to see both Antoine Griezmann and Lewandowski on the pitch at the same time. Here is your official match guide from the club. Our match preview will drop later this morning at 11 a.m. You can also listen to our thoughts on the match on The Mane Land PawedCast.

Go West, Young Guske

It appears that Orlando City is loaning midfielder/defender Colin Guske to Real Salt Lake, according to Tom Bogert. This is not entirely surprising given how crowded Orlando City’s defensive midfield is with Joran Gerbet and Wilder Cartagena healthy and Luis Otavio rounding into form, not to mention Eduard Atuesta and Braian Ojeda once they return. It’s a good opportunity for Guske to get some minutes, given he’s a bit down on the depth chart with the senior team — far enough down to see more minutes recently at center back with the first team than in the midfield.

MVP Candidate Banda

Despite being away for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and not scoring in her first game back, Barbra Banda maintains her slim lead in the Golden Boot competition and is still a League MVP candidate. If she hopes to win either of those accolades, she will need to resume scoring. The upcoming match against the Washington Spirit this Sunday is the perfect opportunity to extend that lead.

U.S. National Team News

USMNT defender Mark McKenzie is reportedly returning to the Philadelphia Union and will occupy a Designated Player spot. Real Salt Lake’s 19-year-old forward Zavier Gozo has been signed by Premier League club Crystal Palace. Of course, there are other USMNT players already playing in Europe, and some are making a quick return to form following the World Cup. USWNT players are also experiencing ups and downs in the NWSL.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Nicholas Gioacchini is headed to CE Sabadell FC of the Segunda División in Spain.

That will do it for today. You can follow The Mane Land on Bluesky for match updates and we will also have a recap of the match. Vamos Orlando!

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