Connect with us

Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/26/17

Published

8 years ago

on

Good morning, Mane Landers! It’s Friday before a holiday weekend here in the United States and I’m pinch-hitting for Ryan Nagel this morning to bring you all the news you need to kick off your day. But first, I want to remind everyone that our “Why We Are Fans” contest is underway so be sure to submit a FanPost if you want to share your story and maybe win a fabulous prize.

Los Leones are visiting the Loons in Minnesota tomorrow night and our preview of that match will drop later this afternoon. It’ll be a busy day tomorrow with Orlando City, OCB, and the Pride all in action and we’ll have you covered every step of the way. Enough of the preamble… let’s make with the Links, brought to you today by the Scorpions’ Love at First Sting album:

Man Who Fired First Shots Claims He Was Attacked

New York City FC Head Coach Patrick Vieira has characterized Jason Kreis’ postgame comments from Sunday as a “personal attack.” You may recall that Kreis said that NYCFC was deserving of all three points on Sunday but also said coaches should be respectful of opponents, and included himself in that by saying “we, as coaches.” Kreis was referring to Vieira’s bulletin board material when the NYC coach said his team was the better side in its two losses against Orlando City. Vieira had this to say about Kreis’ postgame remarks:

“I’m not going to accept the personal attack because I believe the way that he talks I think it was a little bit of anger and a personal attack,” Vieira said following training on Thursday. “This is something I will not accept.”

“I will accept everyone’s opinion because I say what I think and people can agree or disagree, but I stay on the field and give an opinion on the game,” Vieira said. “I think he should do the same and try to control himself a little bit more.”

This should add a bit more spice to the rivalry (and now it can actually be a rivalry since the Pigeons finally got a second win in the series). I personally find it all a bit humorous and think the league needs more of this kind of thing. I’m all for beefs like this one or Brian Schmetzer vs. Timber Joey.

Portuguese-Speaking Teammates Help Leo Pereira Adapt

Center back Leo Pereira is only 21 and has already made two starts with Orlando City. With a wealth of potential, the young defender from Brazil has stepped in and not looked overmatched by MLS competition. In an Orlando Sentinel story, Pereira said teammates like PC, Kaká, and Rafael Ramos have helped him acclimate because they share a common language. In turn, Pereira has also helped City’s newest left back, PC.

The same way fellow Portuguese speakers have helped Pereira, he has helped them. PC also speaks little English, so when he made his debut at left back in San Jose, playing beside Pereira helped.

“I felt very confident playing next to Leo,” PC said. “He helped me a lot because of the language barrier. It felt good.”

PC showed their close relationship when asked to describe Pereira. He looked over at his teammate, laughed and said jokingly through a translator: “Oh, very annoying. I can’t handle him anymore. He’s too much. I have to take care of him, wake him up in the hotel room. He’s like a small son for me.”

Pride Teammates Confident in Caroline Stanley

Despite being signed as an emergency measure when Aubrey Bledsoe suffered a concussion, Caroline Stanley was thrust right into battle in Seattle when Ashlyn Harris suffered a non-contact injury to a quadriceps muscle. Stanley only allowed one goal to the league’s highest scoring team and earned the respect of her teammates.

“She’d only been with us for a day, 24 hours, and I thought she was incredible. I thought she made some massive saves,” Catley said. “She didn’t look flustered at all. She came and did her role and was loud and confident and really proved that she can perform in the league when she needs to.”

Bledsoe may be able to go tomorrow at Sky Blue FC, but Stanley’s performance last weekend may give Tom Sermanni the opportunity to give Bledsoe an additional week of rest if need be.

Morgan on USWNT Roster for European Friendlies, Krieger Left Out

Orlando Pride and Olympique Lyonnais striker Alex Morgan has been named to Jill Ellis’ 21-player roster for friendlies in Sweden and Norway in June. Pride defender Ali Krieger was left off the roster for the Scandinavian trip, with seven other defenders selected. With goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris unavailable, Ellis turned to Boston Breakers backstop Abby Smith to accompany Alyssa Naeher of the Chicago Red Stars. While it’s always nice to see Pride players represent their countries, it’ll be a chance for Kriegs to rest up and stay fresh for the NWSL schedule. Morgan could rejoin the Pride after the USWNT friendlies. Lyon has one league match remaining in the season and plays in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final on June 1 against rival PSG.

U.S. Defeats Senegal in U-20 World Cup Play

Josh Sargent scored the lone goal and Tyler Adams turned in a Man of the Match performance as the U-20 USMNT edged Senegal, 1-0, in Group F play on Thursday morning in Incheon, South Korea. The United States is assured of at least third in the group with one match left early Sunday morning vs. Saudi Arabia and is likely to advance out of the group. Orlando City’s Tommy Redding was rested after playing in the opener against Ecuador.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City isn’t worried about Cyle Larin’s goal-scoring drought.
  • Don’t know much about the Pride’s opponents tomorrow? Here’s a little background on Sky Blue FC.
  • All MLS matches for Week 13 will begin with a moment of silence for the victims of the Manchester terrorist bombing. It began last night in the Chicago-Dallas game.
  • Tom Hardy as Venom has me way too excited about a movie.
  • Those born on this date include John Wayne (1907), former Manchester United manager Sir Matt Busby (1909), Jay Silverheels — who played Tonto on The Lone Ranger — (1912), Peter Cushing (1913), Miles Davis (1926), Dr. Jack Kevorkian (1928), Brent Musburger (1939), The Band drummer/singer Levon Helm (1940), guitarist and former “Spider from Mars” Mick Ronson (1946), Stevie Nicks (1948), Miami Vice actor Philip Michael Thomas (1949), Hank Williams Jr. (1949), Sally Ride (1951), Bobcat Goldthwait (1962), Lenny Kravitz (1964), South Park co-creator Matt Stone (1971), Lauryn Hill (1975), and Italian striker Luca Toni (1977).

That’s all my time this morning. Enjoy your holiday weekend and keep it tuned right here to The Mane Land for coverage of all three Orlando City SC teams, and more. Play me out, Scorps!

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