Lion Links
Lion Links: 6/16/17
So, Wednesday night (and Thursday morning) appears to be a time all Orlando City fans would like to forget…for several reasons. With that, we hope to pair some of the bad with some of the not so bad before a weekend packed with Orlando soccer action.
Enjoy!
It Was a Rough Night
Orlando City forward Cyle Larin was arrested early Thursday morning and booked for driving under the influence. According to Orange County Corrections, Larin was booked at 5:10 a.m. EST Thursday morning, hours after Orlando City’s 3-1 U.S. Open Cup loss to Miami FC where Larin was not included in the 18-man roster due to just returning from international duty. The Canadian blew a .179, more than double the legal limit of .08 for blood alcohol content. MLS players charged with DUI must go through and complete the league’s Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health Program before returning to the field, per the MLS constitution. TMZ got a hold of the police officer’s dash camera video, and here is the transcript to the footage.
Orlando City Not the Only MLS Team Out of the Cup
So, it wasn’t just Orlando City that was bounced from the U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday night. The round of 16 will have 13 MLS sides, but three Division II sides will also be in the thick of the Cup title hunt. One of the most talked-about games was FC Cincinnati topping in-state rival Columbus Crew SC, 1-0, in front of more than 30,000 fans in Cincinnati. There was nearly a fourth Division II team in the mix, but a goal in the 109th minute helped the Houston Dynamo edge past North Carolina FC, 3-2.
Burkenroad Rumored to Head to Norway
News out of Norway is that Christina Burkenroad has signed with Toppserien side Grand Bodø. However, Women’s Soccer Weekly says in a tweet that Burkenroad has not been waived by the Pride and is regularly attending practice. So let’s not put too much stock into anything and keep an eye on the Orlando Pride’s second pick in the 2016 NWSL College Draft.
Burkenroad appeared in seven matches — starting twice — in her first campaign with the Pride in 2016, but, with Morgan back in town, some space may need to be made on the roster.
Carli Lloyd to Make Appearance Against Orlando Pride
In an effort to combat the strong presence of Brazilian international and Orlando Pride forward Marta, the Houston Dash are expected to see action from U.S. international Carli Lloyd Saturday night. Lloyd helped Manchester City reach both the semifinals of the UEFA Women’s Champions League and second in its domestic league.
Morales Named Dash Interim Coach for Rest of the Season
Also making an appearance against Orlando, Omar Morales has been named the Houston Dash’s interim coach for the rest of the season. Morales will be the first Latino coach to lead an NWSL team after being appointed to the post when Houston parted ways with Randy Waldrum in late May.
2017 FIFA Confederations Cup Kicks Off This Weekend
Yes, we know it’s Father’s Day weekend and, yes, we know the Lions and the Pride both take the field on Saturday. But, in case you were wondering, the Confederations Cup gets underway in Russia on Saturday. Here’s a primer on the tournament as well as a look at who is involved. The game to watch this weekend might just be Portugal vs. Mexico in Kazan on Sunday. Cristiano Ronaldo and Chicharito… yeah, that would be worth watching on a Sunday morning.
Free Kicks:
- How is it to be a dad playing in MLS? Gyasi Zardes reveals all…kind of.
- Orlando City SC may not have an international friendly this summer, but seven league teams do.
- An accounting charge of $6.2 million was associated with the firing of Jurgen Klinsmann from the USMNT. U.S. Soccer officials said it was not what Klinsmann was actually paid. Yeah, doesn’t make sense to us either.
That will do it for me. Enjoy your Friday and your weekend. Go Lions! Go Pride!