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Lion Links: 6/27/17

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9 years ago

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It’s Tuesday again, Mane Landers. Hopefully, everyone has gotten over the weekend. It’s never as good as it seems after wins, and it isn’t as bad as it seems now. Orlando City B was able to get a win. The Pride lost, but they seem to be hitting their form. We have to try to look at the positives; life isn’t all bad. With that said, let’s get to the links.

Rumor: Quintero Deal Could Happen Within a Week

We’ve previously discussed the rumor that midfielder Juan Quintero could be headed to Orlando City. This story by O Jogo says the deal “should be completed this week” (Note: if you’re not bilingual you may need Chrome to translate the linked story). The story claims that Quintero not only came to Florida but also met with officials at MLS headquarters in New York.

Quintero was highly touted as a youngster, but he hasn’t quite been able to live up to expectations. He was never able to get consistent playing time at Porto, so he was sent out on loan. He was sent back to Porto, and then went out on another loan.

Porto is a Champions League club, so there is no shame in not being able to get on the field there. But the talk is that he will be a replacement for Kaká eventually is a stretch. It’s curious that no one else seems to want to keep him, so don’t expect him to be a savior at OCSC if the move does happen.

Cyle Larin Stock Down with Canadian Men’s National Team

Cyle Larin’s recent suspension clearly has his stock down with the Canadian Men’s National Team. It’s no surprise, he put himself in that predicament. But they build you up to tear you down. As long as he gets right and comes back scoring goals, then the narrative will change. Everyone loves a redemption story.

Orlando Pride Lament Playing in Extreme Heat

Orlando Pride players commented that heat was an issue that the NWSL must better address in the future following the team’s 3:50 kickoff Saturday against the Houston Dash.

“We could’ve played tonight at like 7 or 8 p.m.,” Krieger said. “… Unfortunately, we had to play at 3:50. I still don’t understand that. I think they need to re-adjust it, in my opinion.”

This was after the start time was moved back an hour to 3:50 p.m. This puts the NWSL in an interesting dilemma because they want to keep the games early for national television purposes to further grow the game. There is more competition for viewers in the evening, and viewers correlate to money. The league did change some start times for non-national TV games and built in extra time for hydration breaks but according to the players, more needs to be done.

Orlando Pride’s Catley Nominated for Save of the Week

Defender Steph Catley was nominated for the NWSL Save of the Week award. Typically an award for a goal keeper, Catley chased down a ball going in to an open net to earn her nomination. After the match Saturday, Catley said she was determined not to give up a goal because the player who got in behind for the shot was her responsibility. Visit @NWSL on Twitter to vote.

Vote Timbo for USL Goal of the Week

Timbo’s goal against Rochester has been nominated for USL Goal of the Week. The greatness of the goal was how Pierre Da Silva dribbled through defenders and set Timbo up, but there’s no I in team. Voting ends Thursday at 9 a.m. ET. Vote for Timbo, because there is some stiff competition.

2017 MLS All-Star Jersey Revealed

The jersey design is a throwback to an old U.S. Men’s National Team jersey.

MLS Expansion: Will Enough Viable Bids Emerge?

When MLS announced that it was going to add four expansion franchises, the thought was that the league would be able to pick and choose who got in. But as time passes, cities are dropping out of the running for a franchise.

It shouldn’t be surprising. MLS is late to the party. Tax payers have been financing bad basketball and football stadium deals for years. They know they are bad deals. In this climate, the owner is going to have to put up the money to get something done. The days of people being desperate for a sports team are gone. There are more pressing issues. It just is what it is.

World Cup Corruption Claims

There were some specific details leaked of the FIFA World Cup corruption claims. Allegedly, there is documentation that a $2 million dollar payment was made to the 10-year-old daughter of a FIFA official.

The details will seem outlandish to us, but we all knew. We have accepted that this is how business is done. Something needed to be done with Qatar winning because there was talk of having to change the date because it’s so hot, not to mention human rights concerns. But everyone knew something was going on, we can’t be outraged now that we know specifics.

That does it for another edition of links. Be safe, and support our Pride.

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Lion Links: 5/22/26

Orlando City prepares for FC Cincinnati, Angelina receives an additional suspension, Orlando City B signs Albright Chikamso, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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May 22, 2026

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Image of Angelina launching a long pass.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! There’s a smorgasbord of Orlando soccer waiting for us this weekend and I’m looking forward to it. Along with enjoying the games, I plan on spending the weekend tearing my way through the rest of Kristen Perrin’s murder mystery series after devouring “How to Solve Your Own Murder.” I highly recommend it if you’re a fan of whodunits. Now, let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Prepares for FC Cincinnati

The Lions are back in action on Saturday with a road match against FC Cincinnati in the last match for both clubs before the World Cup break. Orlando enters this match with plenty of momentum after beating Atlanta United 4-1 in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals, but the team has struggled playing away this year and Cincinnati is a tough opponent. Both offenses are flying high as of late, and the only team in the league that has conceded more goals this season than Cincinnati is Orlando, so a high-scoring affair might be in the cards for us before the break.

Angelina Suspended for an Additional Game

The NWSL Disciplinary Committee handed Orlando Pride midfielder Angelina an additional one-game suspension for a violation of “Major Game Misconduct.” Angelina received a red card following video review in Orlando’s 3-1 loss to the Denver Summit after she pulled Delanie Sheehan’s hair. The Pride will now be without her for both Sunday’s game against the San Diego Wave and the game on May 29 against Bay FC, meaning she won’t be available for selection until after the summer break.

Orlando City B Signs Albright Chikamso

Defender Albright Chikamso has signed an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Orlando City B that will last through 2028. The academy product has made four appearances with OCB already and scored in his first start with the team on Oct. 10 of last year. It’s nice to see the club’s youth program continue to develop players so that they can move up the pipeline. Hopefully Chikamso can continue to impress with the Young Lions this season.

Chris Richards Injury Update Before World Cup

American defender Chris Richards tore ligaments in his ankle according to Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner, who confirmed that he won’t be available for the team’s season finale on Sunday. There’s notably still a chance that he plays in the UEFA Conference League final on Wednesday. However, the World Cup is only a few weeks away and United States Men’s National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino will announce the team’s roster on Monday. Richards has been a critical part of the U.S. defense under Pochettino and we wish him a speedy and smooth recovery.

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  • MLS players will wear personalized jerseys this weekend in recognition of the upcoming World Cup, with an auction to follow.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday!

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Lion Links: 5/21/26

Orlando City will face the Columbus Crew in U.S. Open Cup semis, USMNT roster predictions, Casemiro linked with Inter Miami, and more.

Published

4 days ago

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May 21, 2026

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Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’m still riding high from Orlando City’s big win over Atlanta United and am hoping to keep carrying that momentum through these next couple of days before a busy weekend. It will be the last time all three of Orlando’s soccer teams are in action during the same weekend for a while due to the World Cup, so savor every minute of it. For now though, let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Will Face Columbus Crew in U.S. Open Cup

We now know Orlando City’s opponent for the U.S. Open Cup semifinals, with the Columbus Crew advancing after a 1-0 win over New York City FC. After a scoreless first half, Max Arfsten scored the game’s only goal and the Crew held on for a big win at home just a few days after Henrik Rydstrom was fired as head coach. The Lions will be on the road for the semifinal against the Crew in September. Should Orlando win, it will host the final no matter which team from the other side of the bracket advances.

Predicting the USMNT World Cup Roster

We’re less than a week away from United States Men’s National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino announcing the 26-player roster for this year’s World Cup. Most of the team seems fairly locked in, but midfielders Giovanni Reyna, Aidan Morris, and Diego Luna are all on the bubble, with Tanner Tessmann possibly still in the mix despite an injury. SBI Soccer projects Aidan Morris making the cut, while former USMNT player Alejandro Bedoya has Luna and Jack McGlynn on his projected roster. As for the defense, we’ll see if the center back group is too crowded for Miles Robinson or Noahkai Banks to be included. I don’t expect any big surprises from Pochettino on May 26, but forwards Zavier Gozo and Julian Hall are young players who could bring a spark off the bench in a tournament setting.

Casemiro Linked With Inter Miami

Inter Miami is reportedly close to signing Brazilian midfielder Casemiro, who announced he is leaving Manchester United once his contract expires this summer. One of the interesting wrinkles in this reported move is that the LA Galaxy hold Casemiro’s discovery rights and that issue is not yet resolved. Miami also does not have an open Designated Player slot, so I expect some more “creative” roster structuring to take place in order to fit him in if this comes to pass. The 34-year-old has scored nine goals for United this season and was named to Brazil’s World Cup roster.

Aston Villa Wins UEFA Europa League

Aston Villa beat SC Freiburg 3-0 in the Europa League final to win silverware for the first time since 1996. Emiliano Buendia had a goal and an assist in the match, with Villa scoring twice late in the first half and the defense doing its part for a shutout victory. This was Unai Emery’s fifth time winning the Europa League as a manager, lifting the trophy three years in a row with Sevilla and once with Villarreal before doing it again now with Villa. It’s wild that all three clubs have “villa” as part of their names.

Free Kicks

  • ESPN ranked the top 50 American men’s soccer players and former Orlando City defender Alex Freeman placed 15th on the list.
  • After playing in the USL Super League for two seasons, Spokane Zephyr FC announced that it will not be continuing operations.
  • MLS has spoken with the International Football Association Board to trial stopping the clock during matches for injuries, substitutions, and set pieces. I already get annoyed when the broadcast shrinks the game on the screen to try selling me cars and beer, so I don’t know if I could handle an actual commercial break.
  • Sporting Kansas City’s Stephen Afrifa won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his curling winner to lift his team to a 2-1 win over Austin FC.
  • Wyland, the artist whose mural was painted over for a World Cup display in Dallas, is taking legal action over the act.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!

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Lion Links: 5/20/26

Orlando City defeats Atlanta United, Anna Moorhouse called up, Arsenal wins EPL championship, and more.

Published

5 days ago

on

May 20, 2026

By

Image of Griffin Dorsey preparing to shoot on a breakaway against Atlanta.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Justin Glatt

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. I love the U.S. Open Cup. I love the history, the cupsets, and the magical moments. I especially love it when my team wins and wins big like Orlando City did Tuesday night. It was unexpected result but a very welcome one. Let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Advances to USOC Semifinals

Orlando City defeated rival Atlanta United 4-1 in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday to advance to the semifinals of the tournament. The Lions unleashed an offensive firestorm in the first half against Atlanta United, scoring four goals before halftime. Frankly, it could have been more. The Lions were unable to add to the lead in the second half and conceded one goal to Atlanta, but it was more than enough to secure the victory.

Moorhouse Called Up

Anna Moorhouse has once again been called up by England for Women’s World Cup qualifiers against Spain and Ukraine. It is always an honor for a player to represent their country. We are happy that Moorhouse will have the opportunity.

World Cup News

We are only weeks away from the start of the World Cup and we know who most of the players representing their countries will be. For example, Granit Xhaka will captain Switzerland in the tournament. Most of us are primarily concerned with the USMNT and which players are in form for club and, hopefully, country.

Premier League News

The 23-year wait is over as Arsenal won the English Premier League championship following a 1-1 draw between Bournemouth and Manchester City on Tuesday. It is all but certain that Pep Guardiola will leave Manchester City this summer. It’s not the ending that Guardiola wanted for his time at Manchester City, but he leaves the club in a good position. While the Gunners celebrate, Tottenham Hostpur is fighting relegation.

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That will do it for today. Check back later this week as we get you ready for the Orlando City and Orlando Pride matches this weekend. Vamos Orlando!

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