Lion Links: 9/8/17

I hope all of you Mane Landers have battened down the hatches, stowed the patio furniture in the pool, stocked up on the finest of craft beers (and whiskey) from our great local breweries, and taken all the precautions you can heading into this weekend’s dance with Irma. Here are some Links to occupy you for a little bit in between hurricane model updates and prepping for the weekend OCSC match.

Pride Win Streak Snapped in 1-1 Draw

The Orlando Pride had a chance to clinch a playoff spot when they took on the Seattle Reign last night, but ultimately had to settle with a 1-1 draw. The game looked to be won when Alex Morgan scored in the 92nd minute, but the celebrations were short lived thanks to an equalizer just minutes later when Jessica Fishlock connected her head on a Nahomi Kawasumi cross. The wait for an official Orlando playoff berth continues.

Richmond Ends Orlando City B Unbeaten Run

All good things must come to an end. For Orlando City B, that end came yesterday when its 12-game unbeaten streak was cut down after the young Lions lost to the Richmond Kickers 2-0. The young Lions were unable to get their footing in the match and the visitors took all three points due to a goal in the 41st minute and another in stoppage time in the first half.

MLS Disciplinary Committee Reacts

Five days later, the MLS Disciplinary Committee has levied an undisclosed fine to New England Revolution defender Benjamin Angoua for simulation/embellishment. The incident happened in the 20th minute between Angoua and Dom Dwyer. I will let the video speak for itself, but I for one am hoping to see more, and higher, fines for flopping like this.

USWNT Roster is Released

It shouldn’t surprise anyone that two of our very own Pride players got the nod. Ashlyn Harris and Alex Morgan have both been named to the 22-player squad for the upcoming matches against New Zealand on Sept. 15 and 19. Not on the list: Orlando defender Ali Krieger, a member of the NWSL Team of the Month for August. Head Coach Jill Ellis will name 18 players to suit up for each match. We at The Mane Land wish the entire women’s squad good luck.

Potential Venues Listed for the 2026 World Cup

Six MLS stadiums are among the pitches vying to host a World Cup match if the joint bid between the United States, Canada, and Mexico is selected to host the 2026 World Cup. Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Seattle, New England, and Atlanta all meet the minimum requirement of 40,000 seats for the group stages. Not to worry City fans, Orlando is in the race as well with Camping World Stadium!

Irma PSAs

• Apparently, some folks think that OCSC can stop hurricanes. Although the thought of a pickup match during Hurricane Irma sounds so Floridian and awesome, the fact that the club had to post this message is somewhat hilarious. I mean, it should be obvious, right?

• And if that isn’t enough, then you should join folks and help “one of our own” kick Irma outta here. I mean, anything at this point will help, right?
• Jokes aside, Irma is not going to be a storm to be taken lightly. Please take care of yourselves and those around you. I have been a big fan of www.spaghettimodels.com for all of my hurricane tracks and information. Mike does a great job of compiling information, and his live discussions on Facebook are terrific.
• One additional PSA for you all. I cannot stress to you all how important it is, considering that most of you live in the Sunshine State, to take care of your skin. As someone who is currently dealing with a family member battling metastatic melanoma, take care of yourselves everyone. Use sunblock, get checked, and know what to look for. Skin cancer is no joke, and I want to be having discussions with each and every one of you for as long as possible.

That’s it for today, folks. Remember, you can fill your tub with water, you can freeze gallon jugs of water, you can eat Spaghettios cold from the can, and no matter what, it’s almost match day!