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Lion Links: 3/23/17

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9 years ago

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Is it Thursday already? My spring break is coming to a close and that’s sad. The good news is that…oh wait no Orlando City game this weekend either, more sadness slowly sets in. The good news (hopefully good news, I don’t want the Americans to lose) is that the USMNT plays this weekend against Honduras in what is widely considered to be a must-win match. You can tune into that Friday night on FS1. Go USA!

For now though, let’s get into some links!

Da Silva is Climbing Da Ladder

The 18-year-old Orlando City Pro Academy product becomes the second-youngest player to ever step on the pitch for the Lions. Pierre Da Silva made his first MLS appearance for OCSC and it was in a win at home. Da Silva could not be happier to be playing at the top level as he looks to continue make huge strides with his club.

“Oh man, it was amazing,” Pierre Da Silva said. “It was so loud. The fans were amazing.”

“It means a lot,” he said. “I worked this whole time [from the Academy to OCB] just to be in the First Team and now I got my chance.”

Jason Kreis on The Bridge

Jason Kreis joined the guys at The Bridge and discussed many different topics including the hot start to the season, the injury situations, the new stadium and even a question about the fashion war between coaches on the sideline.

The two topics that stood out to me were his response to the new stadium and how he felt about clubs firing coaches at such as quick rate.

The stadium is a game changer for the club. It’s important for the team’s performance and I think it is proving those two things without a shadow of a doubt. The fans can now truly have a voice…It’s been absolutely spectacular.

It’s a really difficult subject obviously. Any coach getting fired three games into the season is absolutely absurd. It’s way too quick. You have to give the coach the right amount of time to show the path he is on and the path he is creating for the players. 

Check out more on the podcast.

MLS Power Rankings

Orlando City made a pretty huge leap in the power rankings this week. Jumping six spots, the Lions see themselves moving from position 17 to 11.

Cyle Larin and Joe Bendik were the major keys in victory this past weekend and much of the cause for OCSC to jump as high as it did. Look for Orlando City to continue to rise (hopefully) in the next game on April 1 against Columbus Crew SC.

Is History Against the USA?

We know that the USMNT faces an uphill battle, and that battle starts Friday night in San Jose, CA. What you probably didn't know is that only one team has ever overcome the situation the USMNT currently finds itself in — Trinidad and Tobago.

T&T dug themselves out of a huge hole in 2005 and did just enough to find a berth into the 2006 World Cup. The question will be if the USMNT is capable of doing the same thing. If the squad does, it will be the second team ever to do this in Hexagonal history.

Trinidad and Tobago’s qualification for the 2006 World Cup came from an identical position as the U.S. sits in today. With zero points and a goal difference of -5, the Soca Warriors won three of their last four matches to finish in fourth place in the Hex. That finish earned them an inter-continental playoff series with Bahrain. Dennis Lawrence’s goal in the away leg sent Trinidad and Tobago to their only World Cup.

Do you think the new regime of USMNT can dig itself out of this hole?

Is Schweinsteiger the Best Move for Chicago?

The Chicago Fire recently acquired Bastian Schweinsteiger from Manchester United and the deal has struck quite the debate through the Twitter ranks. Was it the right move? Is he worth it? Who is he? Does he even play anymore? I thought he was the guy playing with the Manchester United youth squad? Wait, how old is he again?

Anyways, lots of questions have been asked about this move and luckily for you the guys over at Sports Illustrated have some answers for you.

“He doesn’t have the same speed and the same physical elements to his game as he did … but the rest of his game has grown,” Rodriguez said.

“When we looked to improve last year’s team, among the elements we looked to improve was our ability to not only hold the ball-have [better pass] completion percentage and overall possession advantage, but also the ability to split lines. Get behind lines,” Rodriguez continued. “And Bastian, from a wide range of positions, from a wide range of distances—short and long—can unlock defenses and we believe he will be very helpful in that regard. Beyond that, he’s a player that you can play the ball to under pressure with comfortable assurance that he’s going to be very difficult to dispossess, if at all.”

It is impossible to see how this move will play out for the Fire and Schweinsteiger but for me personally, I like Schweini (as I call him) and I hope he finds some success.

Well, I feel that you have heard plenty from me for today, but if for some reason you want to hear more (I am sure you’ve had enough) you could always follow me on Twitter (I wouldn’t) @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.

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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

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

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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