Lion Links: 6/22/17

Hello and welcome to Thursday’s edition of Lion Links. With a Lions game in the news and a lot of different stories coming out of the Pride camp we have been blessed with some awesome Links today. Here are some of the things you may have missed. Make the rest of your day count.

OCSC Earns Dramatic Late Draw at Seattle Sounders

Another day, another defender scores his first Orlando City goal in the 94th minute to tie up a game and earn the Lions a point. Scott Sutter did the honors this time, just a few days after Jonathan Spector did the same, helping Orlando earn a 1-1 draw at Seattle. Here’s your match coverage:

• Scott Crumbly has your match recap.
• Michael Citro provides the player grades and Man of the Match.
• Sounder at Heart has the view from the opposing sideline.

And visit the site later today for our five takeaways from last night’s match.

Are MPG’s Days in Orlando Numbered?

Matia Perez Garcia’s contract is coming to an end soon and it something that is certainly weighing heavily on his mind as the date nears.

“The end of my contract is coming up,” said Pérez García, 32. “It's a little close, June 30, just 15 days from now. The idea is to continue [with Orlando City]. With my family being impacted, it's not an easy situation, but we just have to wait and see… I hope that everything can work out favorably for Orlando City and for me so that everyone can be happy."

With that situation still being unclear to manage Jason Kreis, fans of MPG and Orlando City can only hope that a resolution comes together sooner rather than later.

Alex Morgan is officially back with the Pride

The Pride finally got back the very heralded Alex Morgan after a short stint with Olympique Lyonnais. In order to make room for the 27-year-old USWNT player, the Pride had to waive Christina Burkenroad. Do not expect Morgan to step back on the field immediately for the Pride as she is currently hampered by a hamstring injury, which she is rehabbing.

Rachel Hill Makes Swift Transition to NWSL

Orlando Pride rookie forward Rachel Hill got more than she expected when she was asked to contribute a “solid” 45’ minutes to the team. That 45 minutes ended up not being enough as she made her debut and gave the team a full 90.

“I thought she would probably last 60 minutes,” Pride coach Tom Sermanni said. “But she was still running strong after 90.”

Hill, who was selected 14th overall in the 2017 NWSL Draft by Portland before being traded to Orlando, has already established herself in the Pride’s rotation. She has logged 90 minutes in each of the team’s past two games and will likely remain in the starting XI as the Pride appear to have found a winning lineup.

Be sure to catch Hill on the field as she looks to continue to surprise her teammates and coaching staff.

Will Jonathan Spector Make the USMNT Gold Cup Roster?

Matthew Doyle took his best shot at predicting the 23-man roster for the Gold Cup for the U.S. To some surprise, even though it should not be, his prediction included the Lions’ starting center back Jonathan Spector. Spector has quickly inserted his name into the conversation as one of the best center backs in the league as he has helped lead the Lions to many defensive-minded victories through the course of this season.

Do you think Spector will make the Gold Cup roster? Let us know in the comments.

Tony DiCicco to be Honored by NWSL

The National Women's Soccer League will honor Tony DiCicco with a moment of silence. All teams will participate in the moment of silence as the legendary USWNT coach passed away this past Monday evening. Armbands with the former coach’s initials will also be given out to players and coaches to honor the DiCicco throughout the season.

That is all from me today. Enjoy the rest of your Thursday and if you want more from me, follow me on Twitter: @awesomeniemeier.