Connect with us

Lion Links

Lion Links 9/9/17

Published

9 years ago

on

I just want to start with, I don't care if you're reading this right now as long as you and everyone you care about is safe. Not your typical writer's response, and kind of moot considering anyone who doesn't read this, well, won't read this statement. But know that all of us at The Mane Land are rooting for everyone to make it through this time as best as we can.

So stay safe, drink plenty of fluids (the hard kind), and as long as you've got power, thank you for checking in with us as we hope to give you the distraction you probably need.

New Faces the Theme at D.C. United

Tonight, Orlando City takes on D.C. United at RFK Stadium (7 p.m. ET, TV27) in a battle for good vibes with both teams firmly out of the playoff picture. But that doesn't mean you should be ignoring it. New faces to Orlando and D.C. look to rule the day as both teams are a far cry from the 2-0 Orlando win back in May.

A heavy transfer window for D.C. United saw USMNT player Paul Arriola join fellow transfers Zoltan Steiber and Russell Canouse in leading United to a three-match winning streak. Meanwhile, Dom Dwyer looks to open his account, alongside Yoshi Yotùn in their first ever match in D.C. as members of the Lions. 

Orlando has scored in five of their last six matches, while D.C. United has won its three consecutive matches by a count of 1-0 each time. Something has to give here and we're hopeful the Lions can bounce back with a season sweep.

For more details, here's our match preview

Irma May Wreak Havoc for Lions Travel ; Training gets "Chippy"

Irma is providing plenty of distractions for the Lions as players have been preparing for the unknown while in D.C. this weekend. Irma intends to play further havoc on the Lions’ travel schedule, as it is unlikely they'll be able to make it back into Orlando safely after the match. The next match is away to Atlanta, which could serve as an early destination to avoid weather issues.

Kreis is quoted as saying players are getting "chippy" in training and that's a good thing as far as he's concerned. Here's hoping that fire carries through to the pitch tonight vs. D.C. United.

Alex Morgan Gives Her Thoughts on Short-Lived Excitement, Playoffs Inch Closer

The Orlando Pride had a very short-lived clinched playoff — literally to the tune of a goal celebration —- as the Seattle Reign fired right back to keep the playoffs alive for them and Sky Blue Thursday night. Listen to Alex Morgan give her take on the goal, Seattle's response, and the run ahead as the Pride inch closer to their first playoff appearance:

This leaves the Orlando Pride in the third playoff spot for now with one more match played than Chicago and Sky Blue with two tough matches ahead against the Portland Thorns at home and at the North Carolina Courage — the top two teams in the NWSL. The good news is with two games to play the Pride only need to take a couple more points from these final matches to clinch or have Sky Blue and Seattle drop points elsewhere. Seattle and Sky Blue must win out to even have a chance at taking a spot from Orlando. So, while it's looking good for the Pride there still remains some work to close out the season.

Edwards Earns USL Player of the Month

Earl Edwards Jr.'s importance to Orlando City B has been recognized this month by USL, as he earns Player of the Month for August, despite missing two-fifths of OCB's matches upon an MLS call-up.

Edwards featured three shutouts in five appearances with an 88.5% save percentage and helped the young Lions climb as high as sixth in the USL’s Eastern Conference.

Check back on Monday for an in-depth look at Edwards current situation.

Could Orlando City Stadium Host the U.S. leg of a WCQ Playoff?

The chances of the U.S. Men's National Team featuring in a World Cup qualifying playoff hasn't been this real for awhile. But the fact is that the USA has a lot of work to do and their latest two results haven't inspired confidence that clinching that third spot is automatic by any stretch.

With a playoff on the table, the USSF needs to start strategizing now on what the best options would be for the U.S. leg. Considering the scrutiny they've faced for the Costa Rica match in New Jersey, they would be wise to give considerable consideration to the best stadium for home advantage vs. revenues and TV markets. Orlando City Stadium features in this FourFourTwo article on potential venues.

Free Kicks:

And lastly, I leave with you with this: we all make mistakes. Sometimes you close down one the best roller coasters in Central Florida despite a certain writer waiting two hours to get his last ride ever because it's that good (not a mistake, I'll miss you Dueling Dragons!). And sometimes you misspell the name of your club on your badge, forcing you and your brand to refund thousands of sold kits.

Stay safe Florida!

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 8/21/26

Orlando Pride prepare for the Washington Spirit, MLS playoff changes reportedly coming, Hall of Fame finalists unveiled, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

August 21, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! It’s been a bit of a rough month for all three of Orlando’s soccer teams, but hopefully they can turn things around this weekend. Things haven’t been great, but surely that just means things can only go up from here, right? Let’s get to the links!

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Washington Spirit

The Orlando Pride are on the road this weekend for a match against the Washington Spirit on Sunday. It’s been a cruel summer for the Pride, as they’ve lost four of their past five games and are currently 13th in the league standings. Despite being on a three-game winless streak, the Spirit are second in the standings and will be a tough opponent for the Pride to face on the road. Orlando Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on where the team needs to improve in order to get a result away from home against one of the league’s top teams.

Changes Reportedly Coming to MLS Playoff Format

For the umpteenth time, MLS is reportedly planning on overhauling its playoff format. The changes would go into effect when the league changes its calendar and they include allowing 20 teams to qualify for the playoffs, with the overall league standings being used to determine those top 20 teams. After a play-in round, the remaining 16 teams will play in a double elimination format that also features reseeding between rounds. If these changes do come to pass, hopefully the league decides to stick with it rather than constantly fiddling it with it.

National Soccer Hall of Fame Finalists Announced

The finalists for the National Soccer Hall of Fame’s class of 2027 were announced, with nine candidates making the list in their first year of eligibility. Former Orlando Pride player Ali Krieger is one of those nine, along with Megan Rapinoe, Michael Bradley, and Jozy Altidore. Central Florida native Graham Zusi was also named as a finalist. The two players who receive the most votes and are on at least half the ballots will make the Hall of Fame, with a third player able to make it if they’re on 75% of ballots.

Storylines Ahead of English Premier League Season

The English Premier League season begins today with Arsenal starting its title defense at home against Coventry City. Arsenal has a talented team once again, but it will be interesting to see how much of a challenge Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester City can pose with new managers at the helm. Managers seem to be a focal point this season, as other storylines include whether or not Michael Carrick and Unai Emery can keep succeeding at Manchester United and Aston Villa, respectively. I’m just hoping we have an exciting title race by the time spring rolls around.

Free Kicks

  • Orlando City’s Antoine Griezmann tied with Robert Lewandowski for the second-highest rating of all MLS players in EA Sports FC 27.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 8/20/26

Orlando City defeated at home, Simone Jackson loaned to FC Rosengard, U.S. U-20 Women’s World Cup roster unveiled, and more.

Published

3 days ago

on

August 20, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Justin Glatt

I think we can confidently say Orlando City’s Wednesday night excellence has come to an end after last night’s loss. I’m not going to claim the new kits are cursed after just two games, but I’ve bought some sage just in case. Before we get to that match and more in today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City interim head coach Martin Perelman.

Orlando City Falls at Home

The Lions hosted the Chicago Fire and got burned in a 2-1 loss that included a lengthy weather delay that paused things right before halftime. The Fire struck first with an early goal, but Orlando leveled things after the lightning storm passed. However, Robert Lewandowski converted a penalty kick from a needless foul in the box for the winner, with the Lions failing to claw their way back a second time. It’s a disappointing result at home and Orlando will need to figure things out before hosting Real Salt Lake on Saturday.

Simone Jackson Heads to Sweden on Loan

The Orlando Pride loaned forward Simone Jackson to FC Rosengard in Sweden through June of 2027. Jackson was signed by the Pride in 2025 after four years playing collegiately at the University of Southern California and she has since made 20 appearances for the club. Hopefully this move gives her some more minutes to develop her game abroad so that she can make an impact with the Pride when she returns next summer.

U.S. U-20 Women’s World Cup Roster Announced

United States U-20 Women’s National Team Head Coach Vicky Jepson called up 21 players for the U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland next month, including eight from NWSL clubs. Goalkeeper Evan O’Steen, midfielders Kennedy Fuller and Nyanya Touray, and forward Emeri Adames are a few of the U.S. players to keep an eye out for this tournament.

The team will be without notable eligible players like Lily Yohannes, Claire Hutton, and Jordyn Bugg though, as youth tournaments take place outside of official FIFA windows when teams are required to release players. United States Women’s National Team Head Coach Emma Hayes also spoke on the importance of tournaments like this one to develop talent while uncertainty looms over the event due to UEFA’s boycott of FIFA competitions. The U.S. is set to start its campaign on Sept. 6 against Italy.

Americans to Watch in the English Premier League

The English Premier League season kicks off this weekend and there are a number of Americans to root for across the league. Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams, Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards, and Fulham defender Antonee Robinson are all still in the league but have new managers at the helm of their respective teams. Brenden Aaronson and Leeds United avoided relegation last season and will look to build on that, while Haji Wright and Coventry City will fight to stay after earning promotion last season. Unfortunately, Wright will miss multiple weeks at the start of the season due to a quad injury.

Free Kicks

  • Alhassan Yusuf scored a hat trick in the New England Revolution’s 3-0 win over D.C. United, with Jack Harrison recording three assists.
  • Americans Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty both played every minute of Celtic’s 3-0 win over LASK in the first leg of its matchup against the Austrian club in UEFA Champions League qualifying
  • Bay FC announced that the club and midfielder Tess Boade mutually agreed to terminate her contract, which was set to end after this season. Boade had been with the club since being selected in the 2024 NWSL Expansion Draft and was the captain last season.
  • Aston Villa signed goalkeeper Zion Suzuki from Parma for a reported $40 million transfer fee. Suzuki played for Japan at the recent World Cup and it will be interesting to see what this move means for Emiliano Martinez’s future at the club.
  • Brighton is covering the cost of tickets for its fans who will be making the trip to the Arctic Circle for its UEFA Conference League playoff match against Tromso in Norway.

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

Continue Reading

Lion Links

Lion Links: 8/19/26

Orlando City match day, Colin Guske reportedly being loaned to RSL, Banda is an MVP candidate, and more.

Published

4 days ago

on

August 19, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City B / Mark Thor

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. Orlando City plays in a midweek match that thankfully isn’t a Leagues Cup match. There are those who will say they’re sad the Lions are out of Don Garber’s cash grab competition, but I’m not one of them. The U.S. Open Cup and the MLS regular season provide plenty of fixtures for now. The schedule congestion is real, as we can see this week. Let’s get to the links.

Orlando City Match Day

Orlando City hosts Robert Lewandowski and the Chicago Fire tonight in an Eastern Conference clash. Defending against Lewandowski and Philip Zinckernagel will be a tough task for the Lions’ defense. Orlando City will need its offense to keep pace with the Fire if the Lions are going to take any points from the match. It will be interesting to see both Antoine Griezmann and Lewandowski on the pitch at the same time. Here is your official match guide from the club. Our match preview will drop later this morning at 11 a.m. You can also listen to our thoughts on the match on The Mane Land PawedCast.

Go West, Young Guske

It appears that Orlando City is loaning midfielder/defender Colin Guske to Real Salt Lake, according to Tom Bogert. This is not entirely surprising given how crowded Orlando City’s defensive midfield is with Joran Gerbet and Wilder Cartagena healthy and Luis Otavio rounding into form, not to mention Eduard Atuesta and Braian Ojeda once they return. It’s a good opportunity for Guske to get some minutes, given he’s a bit down on the depth chart with the senior team — far enough down to see more minutes recently at center back with the first team than in the midfield.

MVP Candidate Banda

Despite being away for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations and not scoring in her first game back, Barbra Banda maintains her slim lead in the Golden Boot competition and is still a League MVP candidate. If she hopes to win either of those accolades, she will need to resume scoring. The upcoming match against the Washington Spirit this Sunday is the perfect opportunity to extend that lead.

U.S. National Team News

USMNT defender Mark McKenzie is reportedly returning to the Philadelphia Union and will occupy a Designated Player spot. Real Salt Lake’s 19-year-old forward Zavier Gozo has been signed by Premier League club Crystal Palace. Of course, there are other USMNT players already playing in Europe, and some are making a quick return to form following the World Cup. USWNT players are also experiencing ups and downs in the NWSL.

Free Kicks

  • Former Lion Nicholas Gioacchini is headed to CE Sabadell FC of the Segunda División in Spain.

That will do it for today. You can follow The Mane Land on Bluesky for match updates and we will also have a recap of the match. Vamos Orlando!

Continue Reading

Trending