Lion Links: 3/15/17

Welcome to Wednesday’s Lion Links, Mane Landers. We are one day closer to this weekend’s action against the Philadelphia Union. This week felt like another week of preseason after last Saturday’s game against the Revolution was postponed. While we patiently wait a few more days, let’s get to the Links.

Rivas Day-to-Day with Muscle Strain

Orlando City can’t catch a break when it comes to injuries lately. The most recent victim of the injury bug is Carlos Rivas. Rivas strained a hamstring in training yesterday, with the club saying he is day-to-day at the moment. The list of injured Lions includes Rivas, Kaká, Rafael Ramos, Kevin Alston (potentially ready for selection this weekend, see below), Tony Rocha, and Seb Hines (knee surgery). Jason Kreis will be forced to alter his lineup for a second week in a row this Saturday against the Union.  

Getting Adjusted to Kaká’s Absence

Kaká’s injury in Orlando’s opener really took the air out of the stadium two Sundays ago. While Orlando found a way to grab all three points from rivals NYCFC, the club faces some uncertainty as far as attacking production is concerned moving forward. The Mane Land covered how the team would react last week, and yesterday MLSsoccer.com looked at how Matias Perez Garcia plans to step up in the Brazilian’s absence. Orlando faces a tough test this weekend, as the Union is full of confidence after a hard-fought draw against last year’s runner-up, Toronto FC, in Week 2 action.

Orlando City B Acquires Brazilian Defender

OCB announced the signing of Léo Pereira from Clube Atlético Paranaense on loan yesterday. OCSC and CA Paranaense formed a partnership in 2016, and yesterday’s move represents the first player swap between the two clubs. OCB continues to prepare for the beginning of the 2017 USL season with its final preseason match this Saturday against the Jacksonville Armada. The Lions begin regular season play away to the Tampa Bay Rowdies on March 25.   

Improvements Around Orlando’s Stadium  

According to My News 13, the city of Orlando is investing in street and sidewalk improvements near OCSC’s new home to the tune of  $4.2 million.

 Construction will continue for the rest of this season.

English FA to limit International Players in Women’s League

It’s no secret that the problem of balancing international talent while allowing for the growth of local players is a problem for many leagues around the world, including MLS.  The English FA also feels this pressure and says it needs to address the balance of international players in its women’s game, in addition to the men’s game. The FA is also concerned that few women’s teams in England can compete with Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool for foreign talent, leading to a growing gap in quality. How serious is the FA about the state of the women’s game? This quote is quite revealing:

And the FA believes its women's team is better placed to win the World Cup before the men repeat the 1966 success.   

Thanks for stopping by, Lions fans. Make sure to check out The Mane Land throughout the day for the latest updates and coverage for Orlando City and OCB games this weekend. As always, feel free to drop us a comment before you go.