Lion Links: 6/6/17

Greetings, Mane Landers. Hopefully everyone has let the weekend go, and we are ready to move on. It’s a long season, so there is no time to dwell. You can only play the cards that you’re dealt, and that’s what the team did. That being said, let’s get on to the links.

Kreis Salutes Players and Fans After Unlikely Draw

Jason Kreis recognized not only his players, but the fans as well after a dramatic scoreless draw against the Chicago Fire. Orlando City was able to keep a clean sheet despite playing much of the game two men down. Despite that, the fans were very involved in the game as usual, with the added fire from being on national television

The irony is that this is nothing new. #NeverHuntAlone sums it up. But hopefully this will be a turning point for the team. It was a difficult month of May for the squad, but Sunday proved that support hasn’t waned. Hopefully the team will build momentum off that hard-earned result.

Bendik and Spector on MLS Team of the Week

After that inspiring draw by Orlando City, Jonathan Spector and Joe Bendik were recognized with starting XI selections for the Week 14 MLS Team of the Week. Those were the only two players officially recognized, but the entire defense was recognized in a sense because the title included the line: “Lions’ Defense Shows Big.” The performance on Sunday was inspirational on so many different levels.

Players with Most to Gain from Gold Cup Stint with USMNT

Spector was named as one of the five players with the most to gain from a Gold Cup stint with the U.S. Men’s National Team by FourFourTwo. Spector was actually on the 23-man roster for the World Cup in 2010, but he didn’t play. Jurgen Klinsmann never had any use for Spector, but this is his chance to make a mark on the international stage.

Which MLS Team is Toughest to Play at its Own Venue?

FourFourTwo debates which MLS team has the best home-field advantage. Paul Tenorio made the case for Orlando City, and he used Sunday as proof. Tenorio describes how the fans’ passion is transferred to the players through their cheers for even the most mundane tasks. He made a great case for why OCSC has the best home-field advantage, but he isn’t telling us anything that we didn’t already know.

Giuseppe Gentile Named NASL Player of the Week

Giuseppe Gentile, who played with Orlando City in 2014, was named Player of the Week in the North American Soccer League. Gentile had a goal and an assist for Puerto Rico FC in its 3-0 win against FC Edmonton. Once a Lion, always a Lion, and it’s good to see our former players keep reaching for their dreams, even after they are gone.

Mallory Pugh and Christian Pulisic Give U.S. Soccer Glimpses Into Future

Steven Goff wrote a piece for The Washington Post about Mallory Pugh and Christian Pulisic, two of the largest figures in the future of U.S. Soccer. Pugh scored her first NWSL goal over the weekend, while Pulisic scored the equalizer in the USMNT’s 1-1 draw in a friendly against Venezuela. Pugh seems to be the future of the USWNT, but Christian Pulisic is the present of the USMNT. He has arrived.

That’s all for this today’s Lion Links. Take care and be well, until next time. .