Connect with us

Lion Links

Lion Links: 4/6/17

Published

8 years ago

on

Hello to all and welcome to Thursday’s edition of Lion Links. As we gear up for another week of Major League Soccer, let’s get you caught up on the news surrounding the league. And as we ready ourselves for game day this weekend against the New York Red Bulls, remember one thing: #NeverHuntAlone.

For now, let’s get to some links.

Luis Gil loaned out to OCSC

The former Real Salt Lake midfielder is set to return to Major League Soccer after spending some time with Mexican club Querétaro FC of Liga MX. Gil will join Orlando City on loan with the Lions having the option to buy at the close of the season.

As part of the deal, Orlando City will have an option to purchase at the end of the 2017 MLS season. To pacify Real Salt Lake — the club that owns Gil’s MLS rights — the Lions will send $100,000 of Targeted Allocation Money to RSL in 2018, and that total drops to $50,000 if Gil doesn’t remain with Orlando.

This move is sure to help bolster Orlando City’s midfield and help make the depth chart a little deeper as the season still has a long way to go.

Donny Toia’s Journey to Orlando City

Check out this quick interview on OCSC’s left back Donny Toia. He has gone from dreams of being a race car driver, to a striker, and is now a defender. Take a listen to what he has to say about his career and his growth as a player.

USWNT Labor Saga Comes to an End

U.S. Soccer and the U.S. Women’s National Team have finally come together to ratify a new labor agreement. With a settlement being reached, members of the USWNT will now be paid much more for their contributions to American soccer. They did not successfully negotiate a deal that guarantees equal pay with the men’s national team, but they did broker needed changes, and for the most part it has brought solidarity between both parties.

“We tried to completely change the methodology for how to define our value, and we made progress in that regard, and it changes the equation for the future,” Becca Roux, the union’s executive director, said.

Alex Morgan appears to be happy about the changes in the USWNT contract and I believe her Orlando Pride supporters will be happy for her and all the U.S. women on their progress.

Ashlyn Harris Shares Some of Her Life Through Photos

USWNT goalkeeper and Orlando Pride’s very own Ashlyn Harris was recently followed for a photo shoot as she prepared for a day of training camp. Check out some of her quotes along the way as well.

“At lifting I usually spend time on my shoulders and continue to strengthen my back; things I need as goalkeeper. Every day I hit the ground, so I have to make sure my arms are strong. Shoulder strength and shoulder stability are key to make sure my arms are moving well and to prevent any injuries.”

Pride Trialist Carol Rodrigues Caught in Numbers Game

UCF product Carol Rodrigues is having an outstanding preseason as a trialist with the Orlando Pride. But that doesn’t mean she’ll make Tom Sermanni’s 2017 squad. Because she’s Brazilian, Rodrigues requires a coveted international slot and NWSL teams generally use those on veteran players from overseas (Marta, anyone?). So, Rodrigues will likely end up overseas herself, writes the Orlando Sentinel’s Alicia DelGallo.

“Having the international tag is really hard for me, actually, because I’m right out of college and most people want to use those spots on more experienced players,” Rodrigues said. “So, I’ll probably go overseas. I have some opportunities there, and maybe years from now I can come back to the American league.”

Rodrigues said she’s interested in a spot in Germany, Norway, or Sweden.

Orlando City Foundation Hosting 4th Annual PlayBingo Event

June 10 will bring the 4th Annual PlayBingo Ladies Luncheon brought to you by the Orlando City Foundation. The event will take place at the Hyatt Regency Hotel with the goal of bringing ladies together for a great cause. Before Bingo, there will be an auction and lunch.

Orlando Rising

The City Beautiful has gone through an evolutionary adventure over the years and the payoff has been prodigious. Not only does Orlando have a thriving MLS franchise, but the city itself is thriving as well — it was even called “the only proper city in the state.” Over the years, Orlando’s trustees have seen it flourish, and “The Happiest City on Earth” has risen to become more than just a place that people go to because of Disney.

Orlando has quietly been growing beyond its theme-park roots. No longer a mere glut of vacationers and every chain restaurant in history, it's one of America's most surprisingly dynamic places. Almost 50 years after Disney put training wheels on Orlando, you'll find a real city there — in one of the country's 30 largest metro areas — with a real identity. And it's attracting young, creative people looking for a cheap place to set up shop, amid a town that's uncommonly savvy about how it wants to evolve. 

St. Louis MLS Bid Suffers Huge Defeat

The citizens of St. Louis, Missouri have voted against the funding needed to build a proper stadium to support a Major League Soccer franchise. With this vote that means more cities will now become available as options in MLS’ expansion efforts.

It looks like St. Louis will remain a two-sport town after voters defeated a measure that would have helped pay for a stadium as part of an effort to lure a Major League Soccer franchise.

City voters turned down Proposition 2 on Tuesday by a 53 percent to 47 percent vote. It would have provided $60 million from a business-use tax to help fund a soccer stadium.

Those are all of the links from us here today. The Orlando City-New York Red Bulls game is days away, and I can’t wait. You can catch the game this Sunday on ESPN starting at 4 p.m. If you want more of me, then this is where you find it: @awesomeniemeier.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Lion Links

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

on

February 21, 2025

By

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!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

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

on

February 20, 2025

By

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!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

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

on

February 19, 2025

By

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!

Continue Reading

Trending