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Lion Links: 10/14/17

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8 years ago

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Happy Saturday, people of purple. If you’re looking for something to do today, go to the NWSL championship match down at Orlando City Stadium. A professional sports league is having its final right here in our city, so we should turn out for what is sure to be an exciting match between the Portland Thorns and North Carolina Courage. I’ll be at the stadium later to cover the game and am looking forward to it.

Hopefully you’ve already secured your tickets for Kaká’s final match with Orlando City. Ballon d’Or winners don’t come our way every day and we’ve had Ricky for three years. It’s been a pleasure to watch him show his skills for the Lions and even though I think it’s time for him to move on, I might find the conditions a little dusty tomorrow. Just in case you haven’t gotten your tickets yet, it’ll be your last chance to enjoy The Mane Land ticket discount.

All right, let’s get to your Saturday links.

Prosecutors Won’t Pursue Charges Against Will Johnson

MLS announced last night that the prosecution will not pursue domestic violence charges against Will Johnson. The Orlando City veteran midfielder was arrested Sept. 6 after an altercation with his wife, with whom he is going through a divorce. As a condition of not pursuing the charges, Johnson will undergo a diversion program for a year, which includes a 26-week domestic violence counseling component. Per MLS:

The evidence reviewed by the MLS league office does not establish that Johnson physically assaulted his wife. Nonetheless, the league office has concluded that his overall conduct the night of the incident was not consistent with league policy. As a result of all of the circumstances, the league office has concluded that the five-game suspension served was appropriate.

Johnson, who began training with the team early this week, will be eligible for selection on Sunday when the Lions host the Columbus Crew. It will be interesting to see if he gets on the field and how fans react to his return.

Bruce Arena: He Gone

Three days after the debacle in Trinidad, Bruce Arena resigned as head coach of the United States Men’s National Team. Arena was hired to get World Cup qualifying back on track after a horrible start to the Hex under Jurgen Klinsmann. Things started off well under Arena and qualifying was nearly a sure thing after a 4-0 demolition of Panama here in Orlando just eight days ago, but the perfect storm happened Tuesday as the USMNT lost while both Honduras (vs. Mexico) and Panama (vs. Costa Rica) upset the top teams in CONCACAF.

Here’s Bruce’s parting statement.

An Honorable Captain Goes Down with the Ship, Sunil

While Arena bowed out gracefully, U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati dug in on Friday and said he’s staying put. In fact, he’s actively seeking nominating support to run for a fourth term. That’s a little like the guy who burned down your house asking for your support in being elected fire chief.

"I don't plan to resign…it's not the right day for me to talk about my personal future plans in terms of the fed presidency. It’s not the right time," Gulati stated early during the press conference. While he danced around several questions over whether he would run for re-election as USSF president in Feburary at the Annual General Meeting, he did acknowledge that he had sent a letter to board members asking for their nomination for a 4th four-year term. What is clear is that he intends to see out the United bid for the 2026 World Cup and believes he should be the person in charge when that happens.

Gulati pushed back on reporters who asked why he feels resigning is not what necessary, stating “This is not something that they do in other countries. Maybe coaches resign, but presidents do not…this is not something I’m planning to do.” He further cited the fact that he shouldn’t be judged on Tuesday night’s game but the overall growth of the game in the United States since he was elected president in 2006.

Part of the USSF president’s job is to grow the game at all levels in our country on both the men’s and women’s side. Yet Gulati held his defense-first conference call — in which many writers with uncomfortable questions for him were left on hold until time ran out — at the same time that NWSL Media Day was going on in Orlando. As the NWSL is the women’s top flight in our country, this was an incredibly tone deaf move by a guy in charge of an organization that continues to force the USWNT to play on artificial turf fields. There was no need to steal the NWSL’s moment in the soccer spotlight.

How do U.S. supporters feel about Gulati not only staying on but also seeking reelection? Well, the American Outlaws released a statement.

Another Look at the Legacy of Kaká

Paul Tenorio over at FourFourTwo gave a fair assessment of Kaká’s value on and off the pitch for Orlando City and discussed how the two sides of what the captain brought to the club built the Brazilian’s MLS legacy. The TLDR; version is that Kaká did a boatload for the team and the league and was somewhat productive on the field — just not $7 million worth of productive.

As the highest-paid player in the league, Kaka’s production was just OK. In three seasons in MLS, he never scored double-digit goals – eight of his 24 goals across three seasons were from the penalty spot – and he hit double-digit assists just once. He played 28 games in his inaugural season, 24 games in 2016 and will finish his career with 23 games played in 2017. Sometimes, his defensive deficiencies left his team exploited.

The bigger problem was that, at his price, Kaka also represented an opportunity cost. With David Villa producing in back-to-back MVP-caliber seasons in New York, and Sebastian Giovinco turning the league on his head, Kaka’s $7 million price tag was as much a negative as it was a positive. His peers were changing games every week. What could Orlando City do with that Designated Player spot if given the chance?

Tenorio’s piece also has a good breakdown of how much money Orlando City could clear off the books this off-season, so head on over and give it a read.

Orlando Pride U-18/19 Team to Face North Carolina Today

Before this afternoon’s NWSL final, Orlando Pride’s U-18/19 team will host the North Carolina Courage U-18s/19s in Sanford, FL, at the Seminole Soccer Complex. The match will take place at 11 a.m. and will be streamed on the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Facebook page. Good luck to the Baby Pride. (Sorry, I couldn’t think of a catchy nickname for the team.)

Atlanta United Promotes Ex-OCSC GM Paul McDonough

Remember Armando Carneiro? Of course you don’t. Nobody does. You’re completely forgiven if you have forgotten the guy who was hired to be then-Orlando City GM Paul McDonough’s boss and the club’s “chief soccer officer.” After all, he was only on the job for about two months before resigning for personal reasons in December of 2015. But those two months were long enough to chase McDonough out the door. He ended up in Atlanta, as director of soccer operations. After helping build an Atlanta United team that made the playoffs in its inaugural season, McDonough has been promoted to vice president of soccer operations and his contract was extended for four years.

From my few chats with him, I think Paul’s a pretty good dude and there’s no question he learned a lot from the mistakes that were made in the early days of building Orlando City. While I wish nothing but pain and misery for the insufferable Atlanta fans who have slid into my DMs, I’m happy to see McDonough having success and can only shake my head at the entire Carneiro fiasco yet again.

Free Kicks

Well, we weren’t there last night, but this can’t be right. #FakeNews

  • MLS will hold an Expansion Draft for LAFC but shouldn’t, says FourFourTwo.
  • U2’s tour stop in Buenos Aires included a toast to Lionel Messi.
  • Those born on this date include William Penn (1644), Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890), legendary hoops coach John Wooden (1910), James Bond actor Sir Roger Moore (1927), Ralph Lauren (1939), Jerry Glanville (1941), Moody Blues singer Justin Hayward (1946), former Flyers enforcer Dave “The Hammer” Schultz (1949), Night Court actor and magician/comedian Harry Anderson (1952), Thomas “She Blinded Me with Science” Dolby (1958), A League of Their Own actress Lori Petty (1963), and Usher (1978).

That’s all the time I have for you this morning. Stay tuned to The Mane Land for full coverage of Orlando City’s home game tomorrow against the Columbus Crew and a recap of the NWSL final later today.

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 5/16/25

Orlando City players make MLS Team of the Matchday, Luis Muriel focused, Orlando Pride plays tonight, and more.

Published

3 days ago

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May 16, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando City SC

Happy Friday! I’ve had a pretty good week so far and am looking forward to three straight days of Orlando soccer. The Orlando Pride will get us started tonight and then we have Orlando City B on Saturday before Orlando City plays on Sunday. It should be a fun next few days, and hopefully one filled with celebrations too. Let’s dive into today’s links!

Lions Make MLS Team of the Matchday

There’s plenty of purple in the latest MLS Team of the Matchday following Orlando City’s 3-1 win over Charlotte FC. Martin Ojeda and David Brekalo were both selected, while Oscar Pareja was chosen as the top coach from the midweek slate. Ojeda’s strike in the first half is also up for Goal of the Matchday as his strong run of form continues. The only outfield player on this Team of the Matchday that didn’t score is Brekalo, who had two assists, so it’s nice to see him receive deserved recognition for an excellent performance that included a great setup on Orlando’s third goal. Pareja has the Lions on an 11-game unbeaten streak across all competitions and is managing things well so far during this busy May.

Luis Muriel Staying Focused in Sophomore Season

With five goals so far this season, Orlando City forward Luis Muriel has already mirrored his scoring total from all of last season. Staying mentally prepared has been key for the 34-year-old in his second year with Orlando, and he spoke about what’s changed for him after not quite reaching expectations in his first year.

“Coming to a league like this isn’t easy. A lot of times from the outside, you aren’t able to measure up or really see what the league is. Sometimes you can underestimate things, thinking it’s easy,” Muriel said. “That leads you to take things on in a different way, the work, the matches.

“When you go into ‘MLS Mode’ you realize how good the league is, how competitive it is, how demanding the league is to be able to do things well. That’s when things start to flow, to go well. I think that’s the difference between this year and last.”

He’s finding his footing in the league now and was a force to be reckoned with against Charlotte on Wednesday. Muriel is aware that the Lions will need him to be at his best when they travel to take on Inter Miami on Sunday for an important rivalry clash.

Diving Into Justin Ellis’s Ascent

Victor Olorunfemi of Top Drawer Soccer gave a great profile on Orlando City B forward Justin Ellis and his growth with the club. Ellis, who just celebrated his 18th birthday on Wednesday with his MLS debut, is having a great year after a solid season with OCB last year. The high school senior was the top scorer at this year’s Generation Adidas Cup with six goals to help Orlando’s U-18 team win the tournament. He can create chances just as well as he can convert them and is quick to give credit to the coaches and staff that have helped him develop. The U.S. youth pool is deep, but Ellis could be a name to keep an eye out for ahead of the U-20 World Cup in September.

Orlando Pride Match Headlines NWSL Weekend

The Orlando Pride’s match tonight against the Kansas City Current is the premier matchup this week in the NWSL. While I wouldn’t call it a rivalry just yet, these two teams had great games last year. The Current are still out for revenge after Orlando beat them while shorthanded last summer and won again in the NWSL playoffs in Orlando before winning the NWSL Championship in Kansas City. First place in the league is on the line and it should be a thrilling match featuring the league’s top two defenses and attacking threats like Barbra Banda, Temwa Chawinga, Marta, and Debinha.

NWSL Contenders and Underperformers

We’re about a third of the way into the NWSL season and ESPN‘s Jeff Kassouf dove into how each team is meeting its expectations so far. Despite their stumbles in recent weeks, the Pride are near the top of the table and have plenty of time to get things firing on all cylinders. Two of the California teams are enjoying surprising success so far, with the San Diego Wave up in fourth while Angel City FC is in fifth and could become a real contender once Alexander Straus takes over as head coach. NJ/NY Gotham FC and the North Carolina Courage are sleeping giants of sorts, so it will be interesting to see when they start climbing up the table.

Free Kicks

  • You’ll need a paid subscription for the full details, but Orlando City right back Alex Freeman continues to impress this season. Freeman is finding success in a way different from his father Antonio Freeman, who led the NFL in receiving yards for the Green Bay Packers in 1998.
  • This year’s MLS pre-match jerseys to celebrate Pride month are out and they’re a vibrant and funky design.

Love lifts us up 💜The new 2025 Pride Pre-Match Jerseys are here!🛒 orlsoccer.co/fbpri

— Orlando City SC (@orlandocitysc.com) 2025-05-15T18:56:08.764Z
  • Esther Gonzalez leads the NWSL with seven goals this season and has agreed to a contract extension with Gotham FC that will last through 2027.
  • FIFA representatives, including FA Chair Debbie Hewitt and UEFA President Alexander Ceferin, walked out of FIFA’s annual congress in protest of FIFA President Gianni Infantino arriving three hours late. Infantino has spent this week in the Middle East visiting leaders in Saudi Arabia and Qatar with Donald Trump.
  • FC Barcelona officially won this year’s La Liga title after a 2-0 win over Espanyol. Phenom Lamine Yamal scored a sensational goal in the match, which is fitting considering how crucial he was to Barcelona winning the league this year.
  • Predictable names like Luis Enrique and Antonio Conte are on the list of top European coaches this year, but this article also shines a light on coaches who navigated tough waters in small boats. Alexander Blessin has St. Pauli on the verge of survival in the Bundesliga and Filippo Inzaghi improved Pisa by 30 points in Serie B to secure promotion.

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

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Lion Links: 5/15/25

Orlando City beats Charlotte FC, Orlando Pride prepare for the Kansas City Current, Haley McCutcheon up for Impact Award, and more.

Published

4 days ago

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May 15, 2025

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Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

So long as Orlando City keeps winning them, I can definitely get used to these midweek matches. The Lions took care of business Wednesday night, which is a nice boost for us to finish the week strongly before a weekend filled to the brim with more Orlando soccer. But before we get to today’s links, let’s all wish a happy birthday to Orlando City B winger Dyson Clapier!

Orlando City Beats Charlotte FC at Home

The Lions extended their unbeaten streak to 11 games across all competitions after winning 3-1 at home against Charlotte FC. Orlando got off to a hot start thanks to its Designated Players and managed to see out the match for a needed victory. The offense seems to have recaptured the form it had earlier this season and it’s nice to see Orlando move up in the standings after six draws this season. The Lions will be back in action on Sunday for a rivalry game against Inter Miami in Fort Lauderdale.

Orlando Pride Prepare for the Kansas City Current

The top two teams in the NWSL will square off on Friday when the Orlando Pride host the Kansas City Current. The Pride didn’t win either of their past two games but now return home with a chance to beat the Current and move to the top of the table. While this game will feature some of the best attackers in the league, each team has also only conceded six goals in their eight games so far. Pride Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on the benefit of being back at home for this match after tough road games in recent weeks.

Haley McCutcheon Nominated for Impact Award

This year’s Lauren Holiday Impact Award nominees were announced and the Orlando Pride chose Haley McCutcheon as the club’s representative for her work in the community. McCutcheon works with the Foundation of Foster Children, where she supports children placed in foster care and provides mentorship. The winner of the Impact Award will be able to choose a charitable organization to receive a $50,000 donation. You can view all of this year’s nominees and how they’re making an impact off the field and in the community.

Savy King Undergoes Successful Heart Surgery

Angel City FC announced that defender Savy King underwent successful heart surgery to address a heart abnormality following tests and is recovering with family. King collapsed in the 74th minute of her club’s match over the weekend and was transported to the hospital. The match continued after the incident and the National Women’s Soccer League Players Association called for change to league policies regarding the continuation of matches after life-saving care is administered.

“While the medical response demonstrated the highest level of competence and care, the decision to continue play demonstrated how player safety is weighed and operationalized in real time. Incidents of this severity must prioritize our collective humanity and should automatically trigger suspension of the match. The Players Association is committed to making this the standard in NWSL.”

Free Kicks

  • MLS suspended Minnesota United midfielder Joseph Rosales for three games for violating the league’s non-discrimination policy. This comes after an investigation into an incident involving Rosales and Vancouver Whitecaps forward Emmanuel Sabbi on April 27.
  • FIFA is shooting for $1 billion in revenue for the Women’s World Cup. It’s a lofty goal, but I could see it happening as women’s soccer continues to grow across the world.
  • Christian Pulisic and AC Milan fell 1-0 to Bologna in the Italian Cup final. It’s Bologna’s first time winning the tournament since 1974 and Head Coach Vincenzo Italiano’s first time winning a final. What a fitting first trophy for someone named Italiano.
  • Malik Tillman had two goals and an assist in PSV Eindhoven’s 4-1 win over Heracles to take a one-point lead over Ajax in the Eredivisie title race. Fellow American Sergino Dest had an assist as well, and PSV’s final game of the season is on Sunday.
  • As European leagues wind down, here’s a nice guide to what clubs in the bigger leagues are playing for over the next few games. Shout out to Serie A for keeping its title race down to the wire, with Napoli only a point ahead of Inter Milan with two games to go.

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

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Lion Links: 5/14/25

Orlando City hosts Charlotte FC tonight, Marta called up by Brazil, U.S. Soccer announces new kits, and much more.

Published

5 days ago

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May 14, 2025

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Welcome to Wednesday, Mane Landers! Orlando City has midweek games throughout this month, which means we get to enjoy some soccer tonight. But before we get into that match and more in today’s links, let’s all wish a happy 18th birthday to Orlando City B forward Justin Ellis! On my 18th birthday, I won $10 on the first scratch-off ticket I could legally buy. I wish him similar good fortune today.

Orlando City Takes On Charlotte FC Tonight

Orlando City’s busy month continues tonight when it hosts Charlotte FC for a midweek matchup at Inter&Co Stadium in one of the more intriguing games of today’s MLS slate. The Lions haven’t lost since March 8, but they have also only won four of their 12 games this season and are a point behind Charlotte in the standings. Orlando’s offense has struggled mightily during this stretch, but may have turned a corner following Martin Ojeda’s hat trick against the New England Revolution on Saturday. The Lions could also benefit from the return of midfielder Eduard Atuesta, who was in training as he works his way back from injury. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s eased back into things though and the club has five more games this month after tonight. Even if Atuesta can’t go tonight, maybe he can get some minutes this weekend.

Marta Returns to Brazilian National Team

Marta was called up by Brazil Head Coach Arthur Elias for friendlies against Japan, which is pretty shocking news, considering she announced her retirement from international soccer last year.

“I was with Marta recently and spoke with her. She said she is available to help the team while she is playing at a high level, as she is now,” Elias told reporters. “Marta has had a great season and has been very important for her club, which is the American League champion.

“Her presence in some call-ups is very important for the younger players, for the renewal that is taking place in the national team.”

Marta’s international career seemed to end in Paris, where she helped Brazil claim the silver medal at the Olympics. The 39-year-old joins Pride teammate Angelina on Brazil’s roster as the team prepares for this summer’s Copa America. It will be interesting to see if Marta will take part in that tournament and it may be worth noting that the 2027 World Cup will take place in Brazil. That’s a couple of years away, but I wouldn’t rule out anything at this point.

U.S. Soccer Unveils New Kits

U.S. Soccer announced two new kits designed in collaboration with Nike and senior players from both the United States Women’s National Team and United States Men’s National Team. The “Brilliant Kit” is white and light blue with star details and celebrates 40 years of the USWNT. The “Heartbeat Kit” is a dark blue with vertical red and blue stripes and is meant to represent the passion of U.S. soccer fans.

I’m also a pretty big fan of the jacket featured as part of this collection. The USWNT will wear both of these jerseys throughout the year, while the USMNT will continue to wear its current white kit and will debut the darker kit on June 7.

USMNT Will Play South Korea and Japan in Friendlies

A pair of friendlies in September were announced for the USMNT, with the Yanks set to take on South Korea Sept. 6 in New Jersey before playing Japan Sept. 9 in Columbus. These will be the USMNT’s first matches following this summer’s Gold Cup and will help the team prepare for the 2026 World Cup. Japan has already qualified for the World Cup, and South Korea is on track to do the same. The USMNT hasn’t played South Korea since winning 2-0 in 2014, while its last match against Japan was a 2-0 defeat in Germany in 2022 before that year’s World Cup in Qatar.

Free Kicks

  • Marta and Angelina aren’t the only Pride players called up for international duty, as goalkeeper Anna Moorhouse will join England for UEFA Nations League games.
  • Time is running out on joining this year’s Purple Pride 5K on Saturday, so be sure to register if you’ve been meaning to and it slipped your mind.
  • Orlando City remained in 12th place in the MLS power rankings following its 3-3 draw with the Revolution.
  • The Lions were 11th in Tom Bogert’s “watchability” rankings, which rate teams based on their quality of play, style, and general wow factors. I’m admittedly surprised to see Orlando that high considering the glut of scoreless draws this year
  • Former Pride player and USWNT legend Alex Morgan has joined the San Diego Wave as a minority investor. Morgan retired from playing last year in her third season with the Wave and gave birth to her second child earlier this year.
  • Santiago Moreno won MLS Goal of the Matchday for his bicycle kick in the Portland Timbers’ 1-0 win over Sporting Kansas City.
  • Haji Wright and Coventry City drew 1-1 with Sunderland, losing on aggregate in the EFL Championship promotion playoffs. Dan Ballard scored for Sunderland deep in extra time, and Sunderland will face Sheffield United with a spot in the English Premier League on the line.
  • The historic Goodison Park will no longer be demolished and will instead serve as the home for Everton’s women’s soccer team, making it the first stadium in England dedicated to a women’s team.
  • In lieu of a parade if it wins the Europa League, Manchester United announced that there would be a celebratory barbecue at the club’s training ground. Players are also being restricted to just two free tickets for the Europa League final and club staff did not receive free tickets either.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I wish you all a wonderful Wednesday and a happy game day. Go Orlando!

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