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Lion Links: 10/18/17

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8 years ago

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Holy cow, it’s Thursday already. It feels like the week is flying by, but not to fear, because we’ve still got some fresh Lion Links ready to go for you today. But before we begin, we want to wish a special happy birthday to our favorite keeper from Cocoa, Ashlyn Harris! The Orlando Pride goalkeeper turns 32 today, and everyone here at The Mane Land sends only the warmest birthday wishes.

Remembering Kaká

That headline sounds a lot more morbid than intended but I feel like rolling with it. Bleacher Report put out an excellent piece reminding the world about Kaká, and how he was once the most dominant name in soccer around the world. Before Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, the maestro in Milan dominated the game. This article gives you a great idea of how polarizing a player Kaká was while he was in the prime of his career with Milan, Madrid, and Brazil. MLS even put out this video documenting how big of an impact Kaká has had on the sport.

OCB…What is Going On?

So, as we reported in Lion Links yesterday, there were reports coming in that stated OCB would be out of the USL next year, and would likely cease operations. Other teams also rumored to be on the way out were Sounders 2, Whitecaps 2, and Bethlehem Steel. At this point we really don’t know what is going on, but we have gotten this report from Alicia DelGallo:

And then there was also this update from Bethlehem Steel:

So basically, there is a lot of information out there, and a lot of misinformation as well. But for now, until the club offers a comment, we will remain silent, while also be anxious, fearful, and hopeful, all at the same time.

OCB Announces Roster Cuts

We have even more OCB news for you today, and it’s stuff that is leaving us still pretty alarmed. Orlando City B has announced the release or expiration of 11 players from contracts including the likes of Austin Martz and former OCSC SuperDraft pick Danny Deakin, as well as Canadian National Team midfielder Jordan Schweitzer. OCB also noted that some contracts expired, including former first teamer Lewis Neal. This doesn’t leave many players for Orlando City B — just four 19-year-olds — which makes the news we reported previously even more disheartening. We don’t know where the future is right now for Anthony Pulis’ OCB side, so we will just have to wait and see.

Interesting Names in the Running for U.S. Soccer President

After the U.S. Men’s National Team crashed and burned out of World Cup qualifying last week, fans everywhere were hoping that heads would roll. So far we have seen a resignation from Bruce Arena. But the name everyone wants to see gone next is U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati. Gulati has said in interviews and conference calls that he has no plans to leave his post, but hasn’t commented with great certainty whether or not he will run for re-election in February. He’s merely said he’s seeking nomination support. Grant Wahl wrote yesterday that Landon Donovan is considering a run, meanwhile Bleacher Report wrote that NBC Sports anchor Kyle Martino will not put his hat in the race, due to his current job, his family, and that the position of U.S. Soccer Federation president is not a paid position. More in-depth analysis from Wahl can be found below:

Personally, I am a big fan of Martino, so it saddens me that he doesn’t think he can run, but he has a family to feed, so I at least I understand his reasoning.

Miami FC Co-Owner Still Talking About Promotion and Relegation in U.S. Soccer

Riccardo Silva is the co-owner of Miami FC, and quite possibly the biggest proponent for promotion and relegation being added to the U.S. Soccer system. As you may have heard back in June, Silva’s company offered Major League Soccer $4 billion in exchange for 10 years of global media rights with the deal being contingent on Pro/Rel being instituted in the United States. MLS turned down the offer — and had to, per their current contracts — and Silva has continued to have his opinions be known. As seen in his recent interview with ESPN’s Gabriele Marcotti. On why promotion and relegation needed to be included in the deal, Silva said:

“The most successful soccer leagues are based on competition. And that's what's probably missing in U.S.soccer. There is no motivation for teams to invest in quality because you can't move from the third division to the second or from the second to the first. We believe the increase in quality can be achieved from the bottom up, with teams investing in quality and we believe right now it's not really happening.”

Free Kicks

  • Steve Davis from FourFourTwo writes that MLS and U.S. Soccer are different, and you can’t blame MLS for the fact that the USMNT laid an egg. Have to agree with you on that one, Steve.
  • Former U.S. Soccer legend Claudio Reyna lashed out at U.S. Soccer following the World Cup qualifying debacle. He called U.S. Soccer “obnoxious” and “arrogant.” This is also really hard to argue with.
  • In “that’s really a thing?” news, PRO referees have announced their nominations for Referee and Assistant Referee of the Year. Personally, can’t say we think anyone is really too deserving, because PRO referees have been pretty bad throughout the course of MLS, but maybe Mark Geiger? He’s kinda okay.
  • In interesting roster news, it’s being reported Bill Hamid is leaving D.C. United. No news yet on where he plans to go. Where do you want to see Hamid end up?
  • Also, the Champions League was back this week! In case you missed all the results from yesterday, here ya go!

That’s all for me today, folks! Don’t worry or stress too much about the OCB stories right now, as all of us here at The Mane Land are worried and stressing enough for the entire city of Orlando. Fingers crossed the kids still get to play, that’s all I have left to say on the matter. Depressing news aside, I’ll leave you with a bad joke to get you through the rest of the day.

If you like inclusion of bad dad jokes, I’ll toss one in at the end of all my Lion Links going forward, just let me know in the comments!

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Lion Links

Lion Links: 3/16/26

Lions beat CF Montreal, Pride fall to Seattle Reign, OCB defeats Carolina Core, and more.

Published

21 hours ago

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March 16, 2026

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Picture of Martin Ojeda celebrating one of his two goals in Orlando City's 5-1 win over Necaxa.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Hello, Mane Landers! I hope all is well with you down in Florida. I’ve been busy at work covering high school water polo, soccer, and softball over the past week. Our Lions, Pride, and OCB were all in action over the weekend. Let’s wish a happy belated birthday to Orlando City B midfielder Issah Haruna, who turned 22 Saturday. We’ve got plenty to cover today, so let’s get to the links.

Lions Pick Up First Win of 2026 Against CF Montreal

Orlando City defeated CF Montreal 2-1 Saturday at Inter&Co Stadium to secure its first win of the 2026 season. In the first half, Duncan McGuire pounced on a rebound and slotted home his first goal of the season to give Orlando the lead. However, Montreal quickly equalized before Martin Ojeda drilled a shot past goalkeeper Thomas Gillier to give Orlando a 2-1 lead. Montreal almost scored an equalizer in stoppage time late in the second half, but the Lions held their ground and cleared the ball away. After the departure of head coach Oscar Pareja midweek, the Lions responded, securing a much-needed win under interim head coach Martin Perelman. Orlando City will be on the road Saturday to take on Nashville SC at Geodis Park. Before the match, Orlando City announced it had signed goalkeeper Tristan Himes and forward Pedro Leao to short-term contracts. Leao made his MLS debut as a sub on Saturday night.

Orlando Pride Fall to Seattle Reign in Season Opener

The Orlando Pride fell 2-1 to the Seattle Reign Sunday in their opening match to kick off the 2026 NWSL season. Seattle struck first to take a 1-0 lead and held on through halftime due to a controversial foul that prevented Rafaelle from equalizing. After a two-and-a-half-hour weather delay, Barbra Banda scored the equalizer for the Pride early in the second half. However, Brittany Ratcliffe scored to give Seattle the lead late in the match and the Reign held on for all three points. Orlando dominated most of the match but wasted many scoring chances by firing shots off target or at the goalkeeper. The Pride will look to bounce back with another home match Friday, taking on the Denver Summit at Inter&Co Stadium.

OCB Defeats Carolina Core FC on the Road with Wild Comeback

Orlando City B beat Carolina Core 3-2 Saturday at Truist Point Stadium to secure its second consecutive win and first road victory of the season. The Young Lions trailed 2-0 at halftime but responded with a late rally in the second half. Harvey Sarajian pulled one back for OCB and a few minutes later, Justin Ellis buried the equalizer off a Sarajian assist. In stoppage time, Caleb Trombino scored a late winner off a set piece to lift the Young Lions to victory on the road. OCB returns home Sunday to face Inter Miami II at Inter&Co Stadium rather than the Young Lions’ usual home in Osceola County.

NWSL Season Opener Recap

The National Women’s Soccer League’s opening matches to kick off the 2026 season are in the books. Olivia Moultrie scored the lone goal as the Portland Thorns beat the Washington Spirit 1-0 Friday night. On Saturday, the Boston Legacy fell 1-0 to NJ/NY Gotham FC, while the Denver Summit fell 2-1 to Bay FC. The Kansas City Current overcame a 1-0 deficit in the first half to beat the Utah Royals 2-1. Ashley Sanchez scored twice as the North Carolina Courage defeated Racing Louisville by the same scoreline, while the Houston Dash beat the San Diego Wave 1-0. Angel City FC defeated the Chicago Stars 4-0 Sunday, and Savy King came off the bench to replace former Pride defender Emily Sams in the second half to make her first appearance after she collapsed on the field due to a heart condition last year.

Free Kicks

  • Forbes.com summarizes former Orlando City head coach Oscar Pareja’s legacy in Major League Soccer after he and the club mutually parted ways last week.
  • The New England Revolution are bringing back Diego Fagundez and have signed the 31-year-old to a contract through the 2026 MLS season with an option for 2027. 
  • Sporting Kansas City has signed forward Capita Capemba to a contract through the 2028-2029 season with an option for 2029-2030. The 24-year-old spent two seasons with Radomiak Radom in the Polish Ekstraklasa.
  • Former England and Chelsea defender Ashley Cole has landed his first managerial role, being appointed manager of Serie B side Cesena through the end of the season with an option to stay on.
  • In case you missed it, this is how Esporte Clube Vitoria showed its support for actor Wagner Moura’s bid to win an Oscar.

That will do it for me today, Mane Landers. Enjoy your Monday, and I’ll see you next time.

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Lion Links: 3/13/26

Orlando Pride prepare for 2026 season opener, NWSL power rankings, Guro Reiten joins Gotham FC, and more.

Published

4 days ago

on

March 13, 2026

By

Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! I’ve spent most of my free time this week getting some needed spring cleaning done before the weekend gets here. Kicking up dust while also dealing with all the pollen when I go outside probably wasn’t the smartest idea, but it’s nice to be productive. Let’s get to the links!

Orlando Pride Prepare for Season Opener

The Orlando Pride are set to return to action on Sunday against the Seattle Reign in what should be an exciting season opener. It will be a rematch of last year’s quarterfinal between the two, which the Pride won 2-0 thanks to a strong defensive performance and goals from Haley McCutcheon and Luana. Head Coach Seb Hines spoke on how the team’s preparations for the season have gone, as well as the expectations to fight for titles after failing to win silverware last year.

NWSL Power Rankings Ahead of 2026 Season

The Orlando Pride placed fifth in All For XI‘s NWSL power rankings before the start of the season. It’s a pretty fair ranking for the Pride in my opinion, as they were inconsistent last year but still managed to reach the semifinals in the playoffs. Whether or not they can stake a claim as a title contender may hinge on how well Jacquie Ovalle does now that she’s had time to settle in this preseason.

The Kansas City Current top the rankings, with defending champion Gotham FC in second and the Washington Spirit third. As for the new teams on the block, the Boston Legacy are down in 15th while the Denver Summit are in 10th. It should be an interesting season and I can’t wait for it to start tonight when the Spirit and Portland Thorns square off at 8 p.m.

NWSL Transfer News Roundup

The NWSL season is here, but teams are still bringing in some firepower to their rosters before things get underway. Gotham added Norwegian forward Guro Reiten on loan from Chelsea and she will join the club as a free agent once the loan expires, with that deal lasting through 2029. Reiten has been a force in England, recording 59 goals and 44 assists across 207 appearances and helping Chelsea win six Women’s Super League titles.

The Chicago Stars also strengthened their attack, sending $300,000 in transfer funds and $200,000 in allocation money to the Reign in exchange for forward Jordyn Huitema. The 24-year-old joins on a contract through 2028 and gives the rebuilding Stars an aerial threat to help fill the void left by Ally Schlegel leaving for the North Carolina Courage.

European Title Races to Watch Out For

While it may not be crunch time just yet for clubs in contention, it’s a great time to check in on how title races are shaping up across Europe. While it may take some intriguing results in Germany, Italy, and Spain for things to get interesting, the United Kingdom is rife with drama to look forward to. Celtic and Rangers are usually the contenders in the Scottish Premiership, but it’s Hearts that has a five-point lead with plenty to go. In the English Premier League, the title race between Arsenal and Manchester City may end up being dwarfed by a relegation fight involving Tottenham, Nottingham Forest, and West Ham. Wrexham is right in the thick of a tight battle for promotion as well. Don’t sleep on the title race in France either, as Lens is hanging around just one point behind Paris Saint-Germain at the top of the Ligue 1 table.

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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: 3/12/26

Oscar Pareja and Orlando City part ways, Kay Rawlins announces her retirement, Orlando Pride roster unveiled, and more.

Published

5 days ago

on

March 12, 2026

By

Image of Marta celebrating a goal.
Image courtesy of Orlando Pride / Jeremy Reper

Orlando City’s season continues to be something out of a fever dream, but at least Orlando City B won this weekend and we have the Orlando Pride to look forward to. This weekend will be the first time all three of Orlando’s soccer teams are in action for competitive matches in quite some time, so hopefully it won’t be all be doom and gloom. That’s just how probability works, right? Let’s get to the links.

Orlando City and Oscar Pareja Part Ways

Oscar Pareja’s time as Orlando City’s head coach has come to an end after a mutual agreement between the two to part ways after six seasons with him at the helm. The decision comes amid three consecutive losses to start the season, including a 5-0 defeat to New York City FC on Saturday. The Lions won the 2022 U.S. Open Cup and also made the playoffs in all six years of Pareja’s tenure, which is the longest active streak in the league.

Martin Perelman will take over as head coach in an interim capacity, with OCB Head Coach Manuel Goldberg becoming an interim assistant coach and Julian Vergara now serving as OCB’s head coach. Given Wilfried Nancy’s availability, Orlando fans may need to keep fingers crossed for a Frenchman other than just Antoine Griezmann.

Kay Rawlins Announces Retirement

Orlando City SC Founder and Senior Vice President of Community and Social Impact Kay Rawlins stated that she will retire from her role on Friday. She co-founded the club alongside Phil Rawlins and has been with the club through it all, including the creation of the Orlando Pride and the opening of the club’s very own stadium. Along with her role in the front office, Rawlins has made a strong impact in the community through the Orlando City Foundation as well. We wish her nothing but the best in retirement!

Orlando Pride 2026 Roster Revealed

The Orlando Pride released their start-of-season roster for the 2026 NWSL campaign Wednesday, and there’s a decent mix of veteran starters and young depth players. Defender Hailie Mace is the most notable addition to the roster from this off-season and other new faces include rookie forwards Solai Washington and Seven Castain. Center back Emily Sams is gone after her trade to Angel City FC and forward Ally Watt is with Denver Summit FC, so we’ll see how well the Pride do at filling the voids left by their departures. Hopefully the triumvirate of Marta, Barbra Banda, and Jacquie Ovalle can have the offense firing on all cylinders.

Concacaf Champions Cup Roundup

The round of 16 of this year’s Concacaf Champions Cup is underway and the competition has been stiff over the course of the first legs. Nashville SC and Inter Miami battled to a scoreless draw and will settle things in the second leg in Miami on March 18. LAFC was held to a 1-1 draw against Costa Rican club Alajuelense, with goalkeeper Washington Ortega making 10 saves. The Philadelphia Union have a tough game ahead of them after falling 1-0 to Club America at Subaru Park. In the only matchup of this round that pits two Mexican clubs against each other, Cruz Azul beat Monterrey 3-2 thanks to a late goal from Nicolas Ibanez. The late games Wednesday on the west coast featured the LA Galaxy hosting Jamaican side Mount Pleasant FA and San Diego FC hosting Liga MX side Toluca.

Free Kicks

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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