Lion Links: 4/12/17

Happy Hump Day to everyone, and welcome to Wednesday’s official Lion Links. Only three days until Orlando entertains the LA Galaxy, and OCB is back in action a day earlier on Friday. Let’s get to the Links.  

Good News On the Nocerino Front

After a series of early season injuries for Orlando, it was Antonio Nocerino’s turn to leave a game early with a muscle injury this past weekend. Nocerino left Sunday’s win against the Red Bulls early with a calf strain. The latest news suggests that the Italian will be ready for action sooner than expected, which is good news for the stability of Orlando’s midfield.

MPG Hit with Suspension by MLS 

The MLS Disciplinary Committee suspended Matias Perez Garcia for kicking out at Felipe during Sunday’s game against the Red Bulls. The incident was not caught by the official on Sunday, but the DisCo unanimously decided to suspend MPG for this weekend’s match against the LA Galaxy. With MPG’s suspension, Head Coach Jason Kreis will be short two more midfield options if Nocerino is also unavailable. 

Orlando City Earns Bump in MLS Power Rankings

After Orlando improved to 3-0-0 at home Sunday, the Lions jumped from No. 12 to No. 8 in MLSsoccer.com’s weekly power rankings. The four-spot climb represented the biggest in the league this week, so things are on the up and up.

Barry Earns USL Recognition  

The USL named Hadji Barry to its Team of the Week after Barry helped the Lions take down Toronto FC II in Week 3 action. Barry’s goal turned out to be the match-winner in OCB’s first win of the season. The team currently sits in eighth place in the Eastern Conference after four games. For OCB’s next match, the young Lions face Red Bulls II on Friday in a 7 p.m. ET kick off. Former Lions Luke Boden, of the Rowdies, and Corey Hertzog, of the Riverhounds, also made the Team of the Week. 

Dortmund Bus Attacked Ahead of UCL Match

A bomb hit the Borrusia Dortmund team bus before Tuesday’s scheduled Champions League match against Monaco. Dortmund reported that one player, Marc Bartra, was injured in the attack, but said the injury was not life-threatening. Dortmund and Monaco will be asked to quickly put the events behind them as the make-up match is scheduled for today. In spite of the scary event, fans chose to go beyond the rivalries; Dortmund fans offered some hospitality to stranded Monaco fans, and Monaco fans showed their support for Dortmund through song.

Thanks for visiting The Mane Land for your daily dose of Links. Next time, bring a friend. I leave you with a Copa90 episode featuring this weekend’s victory over the Red Bulls.

Have a great Wednesday!