Lion Links: 4/11/17

“Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today.” — Will Rogers

It’s going to be a terrific Tuesday, Mane Landers. Monday is over, so the hard part is done. It’s going to be another big week for our Lions; we need to just keep grinding and hopefully getting results. We’ve got some interesting news this AM, so let’s get to the links.

Tommy Redding Makes MLS TOTW Bench

Orlando City defender Tommy Redding was named to the bench of the MLS Team of the Week. Redding, Orlando City’s first Homegrown Player, filled in admirably for José Aja, and his performance is a good sign for the Lions’ future. He’s only 20 years old, so he is still finding his way in professional soccer, but this should provide a confidence boost that leads to even better performances in the future.

Second New York Resident Faces Felony Charges

More fallout has come from the unfortunate happenings following Orlando City’s March 5 win over NYCFC. Katerine Sopilidis, of Bronx, NY, had her misdemeanor charges upgraded to felonies for her role in the melee after the match, and Sopilidis is charged with resisting an officer with violence, battery on a law enforcement officer, and inciting a riot. She could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted of all charges. 

Sopilidis joins Felix Vasquez in facing felony charges for their roles in the incident. Obviously, a strong message is being sent to curb any similarly violent behavior in the future. Moving forward with such stiff penalties, it’s doubtful that something like this will happen again, or at least we hope.

Houston Dash Claim Sarah Hagen

The Orlando Pride waived Sarah Hagen last week, but she didn’t remain available long as the Houston Dash have claimed the former Pride forward off waivers. It’s not surprising that Hagen landed on her feet so quickly because she has dealt with real-life adversity — she overcame cancer at the age of 15. Hagen was a class act during her time in Orlando, and we wish her the best as she moves forward.  

U.S., Mexico, and Canada Announce Joint 2026 World Cup Bid

The United States, Mexico, and Canada announced a joint attempt to host the 2026 World Cup on Monday. The 2026 World Cup will be the first World Cup with the expanded 48-team field, and it seems like a brilliant move by U.S. Soccer to include the entire North American continent in the bid. 

By including Canada and Mexico, hopefully CONCACAF politics won’t be a factor in deciding who gets the World Cup. The joint bid is mostly about inclusion, but 75% of the games would still reportedly be played in the United States.

Six USMNT Players Scored for Their Clubs

Members of the USMNT continued their strong play for their respective clubs., with six players scoring in club play over the weekend. In MLS action, Jermaine Jones (LA Galaxy), Juan Agudelo (New England Revolution), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers), and Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes) all netted goals. In Germany, John Brooks scored for Hertha Berlin, and Eric Lichaj scored for Nottingham Forest in the English Championship. Hopefully American players will be able to maintain their good form throughout their respective seasons and into future World Cup qualifiers.  

That’s it for this edition of links. Until next time, stay safe and go Lions.