Lion Links
Lion Links: 9/23/17
Happy third anniversary, Mane Landers! That’s right, your favorite Orlando City blog was first published Sept. 23, 2014! Here are the first words written by Managing Editor Michael Citro:
“This is the first in what I hope will be a long series of posts about Orlando City Soccer Club. Enjoy it at your own risk.”
Welp, after three years, 104 podcasts, numerous staffing changes, and countless articles, we’re still here doing what we love. And we still caution you to enjoy it at your own risk. On a personal note, it’s certainly been a pleasure for me to be a part of The Mane Land staff, both as a writer and now as the co-host of the podcast. Here’s to many more years to come. Let’s hit the links!
Rumor: Kaká to São Paulo FC
There’s been plenty of speculation on the part of Orlando City fans regarding Kaká’s future with Orlando City. Ricky has said he’d like to stay with the Lions, but there’s been no talk about his contract, and we’re pretty close to season’s end (when GM Niki Budalic said those talks would happen). Now we have rumors that Campeonato Brasileiro Série A side São Paulo FC may try to bring him down there to finish his career (you’ll need to translate the page). It would be a fitting bookmark for Kaká since he started his career with the club when he was 18 years old. Will he stay or will he go? We may not have to wait very long to find out.
Pride’s International Players Key to Victory at Home
Coach Tom Sermanni plans to use his international players in the upcoming match against Portland. Given that those players include Alanna Kennedy and Steph Catley who play for Australia, and Monica, Camila, and Marta for Brazil, it’s no surprise he wants these players on the field. The five squared off against each other in matches down under during the international break. Today’s match could clinch a playoff spot for Orlando, and you don’t hold anything back. Alex Morgan and Ashlyn Harris are also back from their stint with the USWNT.
The home field advantage is one aspect that Harris expects to help the Pride in the match. The Thorns play on turf, so Orlando City Stadium’s natural grass is different than they are used to. Not to mention that the Pride have been on a bit of a goal scoring bonanza recently. Harris even thinks Portland might want to be a little worried to come to Orlando at this point in the season.
Americans Clash in Borussia Battle
Christian Pulisic and Borussia Dortmund take on Fabian Johnson and Borussia Mönchengladbach today in a Bundesliga match at 12:30 p.m. ET on FS2. Pulisic scored his second goal of the season in the 3-0 win over Hamburg. Pulisic and Johnson are not the only USMNT players suiting up this weekend. The action continues Sunday when Bobby Wood of the aforementioned Hamburg looks to get back on the winning side against Bayer Leverkusen at 12 p.m. ET on FS2. Meanwhile, DeAndre Yedlin looks for a second straight start for Newcastle United when they take on Brighton at 11 a.m. ET on NBCSN and Telemundo. There are also plenty of U.S. players in MLS this weekend, including our very own Dom Dwyer on Sunday night at 8:00 p.m. ET on FS1 and FOX Deportes.
Gulati Facing Challengers
Sunil Gulati has been the President of the United States Soccer Federation for 11 years. That may not be the case after the next election in February, since he will have at least two contenders for the position. Boston attorney Steve Gans and former indoor soccer team owner Paul Lapointe have both thrown their hat into the ring. Others considering entering the race include U.S. Soccer board member John Motta and, perhaps most interestingly, Eric Wynalda. Wynalda is a Hall of Fame member with over 100 caps for the USMNT. He scored the first goal in MLS history, and spent time in the Bundesliga. If fans had a vote, he might be a shoo-in.
Hope Solo and USSF Reach a Settlement
Remember Hope Solo? She is the oft controversial but skilled goalkeeper that played for the USWNT. After a match against Sweden in August 2016, Solo called the opposing team “a bunch of cowards” for their defensive tactics in the game the U.S. lost on penalty kicks. She was then suspended by the U.S. Soccer Federation, and her contract terminated. Details of the settlement have not been made public, however, her contract has not been reinstated and she is not eligible for selection. Solo has been rehabbing after shoulder surgery, and intends to play professional soccer again.
Former Orlando City Draft Pick Seeks Puerto Rico Hurricane Relief
Former Orlando City SuperDraft pick Sidney Rivera — now playing for the NASL’s Puerto Rico FC — is raising money for Puerto Rico following the hurricanes (Irma and Maria). Rivera was Orlando City’s fourth-round pick (63rd overall) in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft. He didn’t play for Orlando City, seeing action in a few games with then-USL affiliate Louisville City in 2015. Rivera has built a home for himself with Puerto Rico FC over the last year and a half and has felt the shocking devastation to that island U.S. territory first-hand. He’s looking to raise $7,207 ($1 for every one of his followers on various social media outlets) and is already over $1,000 raised. If you’re able to give, please consider helping Rivera out with this worthy cause and assisting a former Lion (sort of) in reaching his goal.
Please help the people of Puerto Rico. 1$ from all my followers on Social Media will go a long way to help these people! Thank you!🙏🏾🇵🇷 pic.twitter.com/5SxwhuFOr8
— Sidney Rivera (@SidR10) September 22, 2017
Free Kicks
- Filed under “Not a big surprise”, Carli Lloyd is up for 2017 FIFA Best Women’s Player. What is surprising is that Sam Kerr isn’t a finalist.
The nominees for the FIFA Best Women's Player 2017! Who will win it?🤔 pic.twitter.com/0pZMov0EZk
— Women's Soccer News (@wsoccernewss) September 22, 2017
- 21 Players have been named to the U.S. U-17 team, six of whom are MLS pros. The tournament starts on Oct. 6, 2017.
21 players from 21 cities come together for the 🔴⚪️&🔵.
Your U-17 #USMNT » https://t.co/6Fp8LR3N9M#FIFAU17WC | #OneNationOneTeam pic.twitter.com/pJokPD2jrb
— U.S. Soccer YNT (@ussoccer_ynt) September 22, 2017
- We lost one of our own during Hurricane Irma. Season ticket holder Brian Buwalda will be honored during next Wednesday’s match.
At next Wednesday's match, we will honor the life of Season Ticket Member Brian Buwalda who passed away following Hurricane Irma. pic.twitter.com/7rnaag4HgX
— Orlando City SC (@OrlandoCitySC) September 22, 2017
- Here are some MLS playoff scenarios for some of the teams that are not Orlando City, evidently.
- Evidently the match between Atlanta United FC and Orlando City garnered the lowest number of eyes for Univision in the matches they have aired so far. Regardless it was still the highest MLS match aired from Sept. 11-17, 2017.
- Manchester United is the richest soccer club in the world. It turns out that they made $789 million during the 2017 financial year. That’s a lot of money. That’s what makes them the Yankees of soccer.
- It turns out that the LA Galaxy are out of the playoffs after a very bad year. It also turns out that Giovani Dos Santos is a little bit frustrated that his teammates don’t seem to recognize the runs he has been making when trying to score. Saucy!
Whew! I’m not used to having this much stuff to write about during Lion Links, but it sure has been fun. I’ll see everyone on Monday’s Links! Go City! Go Pride! Go OCB!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/20/24
Orlando City’s 2025 MLS season schedule announced, MLS mock drafts, MLS clubs making moves, and more.
Happy Friday, Mane Landers! I finally have everything squared away after a week of hustling and bustling, meaning I can thankfully avoid the stores this weekend and just relax before next week’s chaos. I’m still trying to nail down what I’ll be cooking as my contribution for my family’s holiday dinner, but it should be fun trialing some options over the next few days. For now though, let’s dive right into today’s links from around the soccer world!
Orlando City’s 2025 MLS Schedule Announced
MLS revealed the schedule for the 2025 season and Orlando City’s first game of the season will be at home against the Philadelphia Union on Feb. 22. Orlando has yet to start a season on the road since joining the league back in 2015. The Lions aren’t scheduled to play against expansion club San Diego FC this year, but they will play their first road game against St. Louis City on June 25. While a majority of Orlando’s games will be on Saturdays, they do have a pair of games on Sundays against Inter Miami, including a rivalry week showdown on May 18. Decision Day will be on Oct. 18, with the Lions on the road to take on Toronto FC to close out the regular season.
Predicting the 2025 MLS SuperDraft
The MLS SuperDraft is set to take place today and Top Drawer Soccer did a mock draft to predict how the first two rounds will go. Orlando City currently has the 27th pick in the first round and Top Drawer Soccer has them selecting defensive midfielder Jackson Castro out of Creighton. The pick makes enough sense to me, as Orlando lost some depth in its midfield following the 2024 season and Castro was Duncan McGuire’s teammate on a strong Creighton team a couple of years ago. The Lions were also predicted to take West Virginia winger Sergio Ors Navarro and Kentucky forward Logan Dorsey in the second round.
Travis Clark of MLSsoccer.com also did a mock draft of the first round, with Orlando taking Cornell winger Alioune Ka. Interestingly enough, both mock drafts have NCAA leading scorer Emil Jaaskelainen going in the first round after Orlando’s pick. I’m pretty excited to see how it all shakes out today and learn which players will become the latest Lions on the team.
MLS Transfer News Roundup
The off-season is bringing plenty of change across the league as teams continue wheeling and dealing in preparation for the 2025 season. The New England Revolution made a splash by trading away up to $3.25 million in General Allocation Money (GAM) to Miami in exchange for attacker Leonardo Campana. The 24-year-old should give a needed boost to a New England team that only scored 37 goals this season. As for Miami, it now has an MLS-trade record fee of $2.5 million in guaranteed GAM and an open Designated Player spot at its disposal.
The LA Galaxy traded away 2024 MLS Cup MVP Gastón Brugman and a conditional $100,000 in GAM to Nashville SC in exchange for midfielder Sean Davis. Brugman will help Nashville fill the gap left by Anibal Godoy, who joined San Diego FC as a free agent. FC Dallas also added a free agent, signing defender Lalas Abubakar to a two-year deal.
GAM Amounts Revealed for Each MLS Club
MLS pulled back the curtain a bit and unveiled the amount of General Allocation Money that each team had as of Dec. 10. Orlando City’s total comes in at $3,990,312, which is a pretty hefty amount that can be used to improve the team. Atlanta United’s $6,503,478 is the most in the league, while the Houston Dynamo are at the other end of the spectrum with just $2,063,538. The Campana trade helps put these amounts into perspective, but there are many uses for GAM and it’s interesting to see where each club stands. It’s also just nice to get some transparency from the league about this and hopefully that trend continues in 2025.
Free Kicks
- Concacaf announced that Saudi Arabia was invited as a guest nation for both the 2025 and 2027 Concacaf Gold Cup.
- The Kansas City Current bid farewell to goalkeepers Adrianna France and Almuth Schult. The club then announced that it signed goalkeeper Laurel Ivory to a one-year contract.
- The National Independent Soccer Association will reportedly no longer be sanctioned by the United States Soccer Foundation next year, which would leave MLS NEXT Pro and USL League One as the third-division leagues in the U.S.
- Tottenham beat Manchester United 4-3 to claim the final semifinal spot in the EFL Cup, with Son Heung-Min scoring directly from a corner kick. Tottenham will face off against Liverpool in the next round, with Newcastle and Arsenal squaring off in the other semifinal.
That’s all I have for you this time around. I wish you all a relaxing weekend and a very happy holidays!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/19/24
Preparing for the MLS SuperDraft, New York Red Bulls sign Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Tim Weah injured, and more.
How’s it going, Mane Landers? I’ve knocked out all of my shopping except for one gift I’m still trying to procure. I have a lead on it though and high hopes that I can get a literal bow on it before traveling to visit my family next week. For now though, let’s dive into today’s links from around the soccer world!
Getting Ready for the MLS SuperDraft
The 2025 MLS SuperDraft will take place on Friday and the league released the list of 477 eligible players clubs can choose from. This year’s Generation Adidas class includes Cornell forward Alex Harris, North Carolina left back Tate Johnson, Wisconsin forward Dean Boltz, and UC Santa Barbara defensive midfielder Manu Duah. Those players likely won’t be on the board by the time Orlando City’s 27th overall pick rolls around, but the team has proven in the past it isn’t afraid to make a trade for a top prospect.
Here’s a nice position-by-position breakdown of some of the best players available on Friday. I personally think Orlando could use some depth at center back, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the team rolls the dice on a center forward given its track record. Unfortunately, we’ll have to follow along with each pick on the league’s website rather than a stream.
MLS Transfer Roundup
After falling in the MLS Cup final earlier this month, the New York Red Bulls have added some firepower by signing Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting as a Designated Player. The 35-year-old heads to MLS after playing for Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Stoke City, and Schalke 04 over the past 10 years. The Red Bulls now have a fairly dangerous trio of Designated Players in Choupo-Moting, Emil Forsberg, and Dante Vanzeir.
Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference, the New England Revolution added midfielder Jackson Yueill as a free agent. The 27-year-old signed a three-year contract that includes options for 2028 and 2029. D.C. United traded away $150,000 in General Allocation Money to Nashville SC in exchange for defender Lukas MacNaughton. FC Dallas signed midfielder Ramiro Benetti, who has spent the past two seasons with Cruzeiro Esporte Clube in Brazil. Veteran defender Nick Lima has returned to the San Jose Earthquakes, signing a two-year contract with the club.
Keeping Up With the Americans Abroad
The injuries continue to rack up for the Americans, as Tim Weah will miss some time after sustaining a thigh injury earlier this week in Juventus’ win over Cagliari. In better news for Americans plying their trade abroad, forward Ricardo Pepi scored twice in PSV Eindhoven’s 8-0 win against Koninklijke HFC in the KNVB Cup. Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Liverpool are all reportedly interested in left back Antonee Robinson, who turned some heads with a pair of assists on Sunday.
EFL Cup Semifinals Nearly Set
The EFL Cup semifinals are setting up to be a heavyweight affair, with Liverpool, Arsenal, and Newcastle all advancing from the quarterfinals. The day belonged to Gabriel Jesus, who scored his first hat trick for Arsenal in a 3-2 win over Crystal Palace. Liverpool extended its unbeaten streak to 20 games across all competitions after a 2-1 win over Southampton, while Newcastle United beat Brentford thanks to a brace from Sandro Tonali. The final semifinalist will come from today’s match between Manchester United and Tottenham, with the draw taking place afterwards.
Free Kicks
- The NWSL Shield and Championship trophy paid a visit to WFTV’s studios, and it’s still a bit surreal that the Orlando Pride secured both pieces of silverware this season.
- The Columbus Crew announced that they will play Inter Miami in Cleveland at Huntington Bank Field rather than its home stadium next season. The “home” game is a good two-hour drive north and reportedly has no opt-out option for season ticket holders, so this decision has not gone over well with some Crew fans.
- Forward Lynn Williams is reportedly expected to be traded from NJ/NY Gotham FC to the Seattle Reign so that she can close out her career on her home coast.
- We now know the eight quarterfinalists for the Women’s Champions League, with the draw set for Feb. 7. The usual suspects like Barcelona, Wolfsburg, and Lyon all made it, which should make for an exciting knockout stage.
- Real Madrid beat Pachuca to win the Intercontinental Cup, giving Carlo Ancelotti his 15th title with the club.
- Here’s a look at the absurd amount of minutes players like Federico Valverde and Jules Kounde have logged this year. Just seeing those numbers makes my legs tired.
That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a wonderful Thursday and rest of your week!
Lion Links
Lion Links: 12/18/24
Another report on the Facundo Torres transfer, Marta wins her own award, Becky Sauerbrunn retires, and more.
Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers. For those that celebrate Christmas, we’re only a week out, so I hope you’ve gotten your shopping done. If not, no judgement from me, just encouragement. I know you can do it! I think we can all do with a little more encouragement these days. For now, let’s get to the links.
Torres Deal Done?
WESH is reporting that the Facundo Torres to Palmeiras deal is done. As of this writing, there has been no confirmation from either club, but it is reasonable to think where there’s this much smoke, there’s fire. Torres may have scored his last goal in purple, and will leave as the club’s all-time leader in that category after three seasons. According to the report, Torres signed a five-year deal with the Brazilian club. We will provide updates as information becomes available.
Marta Wins Marta Award
In the most appropriate award selection in history, Marta has won the inaugural FIFA award for the best goal in women’s soccer, aptly named The FIFA Marta Award.
The award winning goal came in Brazil’s international friendly against Jamaica in June, as the Brazilian made a nice move to clear a defender and then sent in a long-range shot. Check it out.
Marta received the award at FIFA’s “The Best” Award ceremony in Doha, Qatar.
USWNT Legend Becky Sauerbrunn Retires
Former USWNT captain Becky Sauerbrunn is retiring from professional soccer. The legendary defender has played in the NWSL in every year of it’s existence. She retires having won three championships, one NWSL Shield, multiple Women’s World Cups, and Olympic medals. Sauerbrunn is definitively one of the best to ever wear a U.S. jersey.
NWSL, MLS NEXT Pro Expand
The NWSL is entering into exclusive negotiations with a Denver-area group regarding the league’s next expansion franchise. Denver was picked above both Cincinnati and Cleveland. The expansion fee is in the $105-$120 million range.
MLS NEXT Pro is also adding another new team. Until a new name, logo, and brand are settled on, the team will be called West Michigan Soccer. The team will be the sixth independent club in MLS NEXT Pro. Orlando City B won’t have the opportunity to play the new team until 2027.
Free Kicks
- Torres’ goal against Nashville made it into a compilation of volleyed goals from the MLS Twitter account.
- Vitor Pereira will be the new coach of Wolverhampton Wanderers following the departure of former boss Gary O’Neil. Pereira will have his work cut out for him getting Wolves out of the relegation zone.
- Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk has been suspended after testing positive for a banned substance in a recent drug test. Mudryk stated he has never knowingly used such substances, and hopes an investigation will clear up the matter.
- The Washington Spirit have signed free agent midfielder Narumi Miura to a two-year contract. Miura spent the last two years with the North Carolina Courage.
- The Columbus Crew re-signed goalkeeper Evan Bush through the 2025 season.
- New name, same idea. The European Super League is back as the “Unity League.” A proposal has been submitted to UEFA and FIFA.
That will do it for today. Keep checking in as our Orlando City and Orlando Pride Season in Review pieces continue. Vamos Orlando!
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Orlando Pride2 weeks ago
Orlando Pride Announce Roster Decisions Following 2024 NWSL Season
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Orlando City1 week ago
2024 Orlando City Season in Review: Facundo Torres
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Orlando City2 weeks ago
2024 Orlando City Season in Review: Mason Stajduhar
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Podcasts2 weeks ago
PawedCast Episode 459: Orlando City Roster Decisions and Facundo Torres Gone?
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Orlando Pride6 days ago
2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Emily Sams
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Orlando City2 weeks ago
2024 Orlando City Season in Review: Javier Otero
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Orlando Pride2 weeks ago
2024 Orlando Pride Season in Review: Ally Watt
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Podcasts6 days ago
PawedCast Episode 460: Facundo Torres, Orlando City and OCB News, and More